16 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



September, during which period arrivals were noted on six 

 occasions. It is an interesting fact that all the birds, which 

 were of both sexes, were seen singly, though several were 

 observed on the same day. Probably more important move- 

 ments would follow later in the autumn, but these do not 

 appear to have come under the notice of George Stout. 



BRAMBLING, Fringilla montifringilla. This species is probably a 

 bird of passage only. It appeared in considerable numbers on 

 23rd September, an early date for its arrival in abundance on 

 our shores. After this it was quite numerous among the Twites, 

 and was seen daily down to the date of our departure, yth 

 October. From 301)1 October to 3rd November, this bird was 

 seen by George Stout in large flocks, along with Fieldfares, 

 Blackbirds, and Redwings. 



GREENFINCH, Ligitrimts chloris. This bird is said to be a winter 

 visitor to the island, and I was shown one in a cage which 

 had been captured during the winter of 1904-5. About 

 twenty were seen on 4th November by Mr. George Stout. 



SISKIN, Chrysomitris spinits. A few were seen on passage. The 

 first was observed on 24th September. On the following day 

 when immigrants of various species were abundant several 

 were seen, and it is quite possible that this bird was present 

 in fair numbers among the Twites, in whose company the few 

 detected were discovered. Single birds were afterwards seen 

 by us on 5th and 6th October, and four were seen by George 

 Stout on i Sth October. 



BULLFINCH, Pyrrhida enroptxa. Mr. Tulloch tells me that he has 

 seen this species on the island. 



HOUSE SPARROW, Passer domesticus. An abundant resident which 

 seldom strayed far from the inhabited portion of the island. 

 Enquiries made for the purpose of eliciting information as to 

 when the island was first colonised completely failed, and the 

 conclusion we arrived at was that the bird had been there time 

 out of mind. 



TREE SPARROW, Passer montamis. This bird is a visitor to the 

 island, probably when on passage farther south, and also perhaps 

 as a winter resident. The first birds, a pair, appeared on Sth 

 September; but the species was not observed again until 2nd 

 October, after which date it was fairly numerous. Though this 

 bird consorted with Twites and other species on the stubbles, 

 yet it was seldom seen far from the houses, for whose vicinity 

 it seemed to have a decided predilection. George Stout tells 

 me that he saw twenty-one in a flock on iSth October. 



