CONTRIBUTIONS TO A FAUNA OF SHETLAND 15 



About same date we received a wing of one killed by Mr. 

 Allan Briggs in North Ronaldshay. 



SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophanes nivalis). In 1891, first a small flock 

 went "tinkling" overhead. Then flocks of hundreds and 

 thousands were seen along Loch Spiggie and upon Backasetter 

 Farm on the 23rd October, and many were heard overhead 

 all day, and they continued exceedingly abundant all the re- 

 maining time of my stay i.e. up to 3rd of November. Captain 

 Macfarlane, however, afterwards reported that all, or nearly all, 

 had left by the igth December of the same year. In 1892, 

 during October, Snow Buntings were much rarer than in 1891, 

 all the time I was there 23rd September to 3oth October. 

 The first heard of was a flock of twelve on the 6th October. 

 Then a flock of some hundreds same day, but they did not 

 alight, but flew steadily south. After this some considerable 

 flocks seen, but most passed on. The people on certain farms 

 catch these birds with a sieve-trap twenty to thirty at a 

 time in snow-time. In Shetland, the skins are removed by 

 inserting a quill, or the barrel of a steel pen-holder, in a small 

 cut made on the forehead. The pen-holder is then used as a 

 blow-pipe. Of course shot birds cannot be skinned in this 

 way. This method is called "blowing them." 



STARLING (Sttirnus vulgaris). In 1891, observed in small flocks. 

 Nowhere did we observe them in large numbers, as compared 

 with more southern localities. But they are very abundant 

 notwithstanding. We might expect to find amongst migratory 

 Starlings, specimens of the so-called S. Faroensis. I did not 

 care to slay numbers of them to make the discovery ; but any 

 which I did examine did not appear to me to be worthy of 

 specific separation. 



JACKDAW (Corvus momdula). In 1891, two were seen distinctly by 

 us flying in company with Rooks close to Sumburgh Head on 

 27th October; and in 1892, two again were seen on iSth 

 October consorting with about a dozen Hooded Crows. As 

 will be noticed further on, it is curious how many species 

 observed in 1891 and 1892 appeared in exactly similar 

 numbers at approximate dates, and in adjacent localities. (See 

 Greylag Goose, Wood-pigeon, and several more.) 



Since writing the above, we have heard from Mr. Young- 

 clause that "what he takes to be three Jackdaws were seen 

 near Grutness on the 28th October 1892." 



RAVEN (Corvus corax). Perhaps nowhere more abundant in 

 Britain than in the Shetland Isles. Often seen in dozens and 

 half-dozens, and occasionally in much larger companies. Seem 

 to have, in common with many other species, regular beats 



