78 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



its note was not unlike that of its chosen companions. 

 When recording the occurrence of the first Scotch example 

 for the Flannan Isles, I too remarked that when the bird 

 was disturbed it uttered a note very similar to that of a 

 Skylark. This bird is a native of Southern Europe, and 

 is a very uncommon straggler to any portion of the British 

 area. 



SHORE LARK, Otocorys alpestris. The spring passage north- 

 wards of this species was witnessed during the early days of 

 March, and a few returned to the island late in October 

 and remained for about a fortnight. 



147. GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL, Motacilla borealis. This is an 

 interesting, but not unlocked for, addition to the list of 

 Fair Isle migratory visitors. It is a species whose presence 

 on our shores during the periods of its migrations has, no 

 doubt, long been overlooked, for the bird is a common 

 summer visitor to Northern Europe, including Scandinavia. 

 It has only previously been noticed at one Scottish Station, 

 namely at the Pentland Skerries, where it was obtained in 

 May 1888. It has, however, been noted on several 

 occasions on the South Coast of England (where it is even 

 recorded as having nested), and has once been captured 

 inland in Yorkshire. Fair numbers visited the Isle during 

 the latter part of May and early June ; and its southern 

 passage came under my notice late in September. 



In this species the adult male has the crown arid nape 

 dark grey, verging on black on the sides of the head and 

 lores, and lacks a superciliary streak ; while the female 

 appears to be indistinguishable from that of Motacilla flava, 

 the Central European summer bird known as the Blue- 

 headed Wagtail. 



PIED WAGTAIL, Motacilla lugubris. This is decidedly a scarce 

 species on passage, and has only, as yet, come under notice 

 in spring. One was observed late in March, and two single 

 birds appeared at the end of May ; all, presumably, on their 

 way north. 



TREE PIPIT, Anthus trivialis. This bird again appeared in 

 numbers in both spring and autumn, and has quite established 

 its claim to be regarded a bird of double passage. It seems 

 strange, in the light of the Fair Isle data, that this species 

 should have entirely escaped notice in the other isles of the 

 Shetland group, and should have only once or twice been 

 observed in Orkney. As in the autumn of 1907 it occurred 

 very late, i.e. down to the fourth week of October. 



