18 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



MARTIN (Chelidon urbica). One killed by a Merlin, on the loth 

 April i goo, was sent to me for identification. 



SWIFT (Cypselus apus). The Swift is regarded as a rare visitor. 

 Previous to our visit there were three records of its occurrence 

 two for June and one for July. On the i6th September 1 

 saw one at 10 A.M., during heavy rain and a strong S.E. breeze. 

 And on the following day, another was flying under the north 

 cliff for several hours, seeking shelter from the strong southerly 

 breeze. 



SNOWY OWL (JVyctea scandiacd). This bird has only once been 

 observed, namely on the i2th of October 1903, when Mr. Begg 

 saw one on the island at 6 P.M. 



KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus). The only occurrences of this species 

 known, are a male shot on the 1 8th of June, and a female on 

 the zyth of September, 1904. 



PEREGRINE (Falco peregrinus). A pair of Peregrines nest annually 

 on one of the outer islands of the group. During the early days 

 of our visit we saw the old birds accompained by one of their 

 offspring, a male, which they tried their best to drive away 

 from the islands, but all their bullying failed. The old birds 

 left about the i4th of September, but the young male remained, 

 and was a scourge to all the small migratory birds resorting to 

 Eilean Mhor; for it used to dash many times a day over the 

 exposed plateau in search of prey, making havoc among the 

 ranks of the travellers. 



MERLIN (Falco asalon). Visits the islands on both the spring and 

 autumn migrations, being observed in March, April, and May ; 

 and again in September and October. 



A pair appeared on the morning of the iith of September. 

 They only remained for the day, during which the small 

 migrants had a bad time of it. We had a captive Fork-tailed 

 Petrel, which had been taken at the lantern the previous night. 

 This we released in order to observe its manner of flight, no 

 Merlin being in sight at the time ; but no sooner was the 

 Petrel well on the wing than one of the Merlins appeared in 

 hot pursuit, but the Petrel, we believe, reached the sea in 

 safety. 



CORMORANT (Phalaerocorax carlo). Mr. Begg, who has several 

 years' experience, has never seen this bird at the Flannans. 

 He has heard, however, that eggs have been taken on one of 

 the outer islands. Mr. Harvie-Brown saw several pairs on 

 Bronna Cleit on the nth of June 1881. We never saw the 

 bird. 



