THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE, NATIVE AND MIGRATORY 15 



lighthouse staff on the island, and from Messrs. Stewart Wilson and 

 George Stout, natives of Fair Isle, the latter of whom has a very 

 fair knowledge of the birds of the island, and has furnished me with 

 a number of interesting notes made since our departure. 



RAVEN, Cannes corax. About a decade ago no less than six pairs 

 of Ravens nested annually on the island. These, owing to 

 their numbers, proved so destructive to the lambs that measures 

 had to be taken for their reduction, and now only two pairs are 

 resident. These and their young were frequently observed, and 

 were comparatively familiar and unsuspecting. Five was the 

 largest number seen together ; perhaps a family gathering. 



HOODED CROW, Corrus comix. This species is resident and fairly 

 numerous, five or six pairs nesting in the cliffs. The birds were 

 quite familiar, and were occasionally to be seen perched on 

 the cottages, just as one observes them in Norway. They fed 

 upon dead fish, etc., cast up at the heads of the geos, and also 

 upon garbage to be found near the houses. No Continental 

 representatives of the species visited the island on passage 

 during our stay. 



ROOK, Con'ies frngi/egi/s. One appeared on the 4th of October, 

 and on the 6th two were seen. They fraternised with the 

 Hooded Crows. The natives told us that they occasionally 

 see this bird on passage in both spring and autumn. Mr. 

 George Stout informs me that four appeared on the 3151 of 

 October. 



JACKDAW, Conms monedula. A pair seen on the 8th of September 

 were the only birds of this species that came under notice. 

 The Jackdaw is, in like manner, only an occasional visitor to 

 Shetland ; and though in Orkney it is now abundant, yet it 

 was formerly only seen at intervals. 



STARLING, Sturnus vnlgaris. An extremely abundant resident, 

 nesting in the cliffs and buildings, and frequenting the 

 cultivated ground and heathery uplands in search of food. 

 Towards evening we noticed that they betook themselves in 

 small parties to certain natural tunnels in the cliffs, some 40 

 yards in length, which connect the remarkable chasms known 

 as the Reevas with the western ocean. In the recesses of these 

 subterranean retreats, amid surroundings dank and dismal in 

 the extreme, and with the surf of an ever restless sea roaring 

 below them, these birds passed the night : wilder and more 

 weird roosting places it would be impossible to conceive. 

 Others retired to holes in the rocks, especially those below 

 Malcolm's Head at the south-west end of the island. 



CHAFFINCH, Fringilla cxlebs. The Chaffinch was observed on 

 passage in small numbers between the 3rd and 2Qth of 



