THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE, NATIVE AND MIGRATORY 17 



MEALY REDPOLL, Acanthissp. The Mealy Redpolls are admittedly 

 one of the most difficult groups of birds to determine, and the 

 specimens obtained on Fair Isle must, so far as their specific 

 identity is concerned, be reserved for future consideration, since 

 they do not seem to belong to the typical species (A. Una no] 

 found on the Continent and elsewhere. 



The first of these Redpolls appeared on zyth September, 

 after which date it was seen in small numbers until 2nd October, 

 when a great increase was observed, and the birds remained 

 abundant down to the date of our departure. As a rule they 

 fraternised with the hordes of Twites, and sought food in the 

 stubbles ; but a number of independents frequented the 

 enclosures adjoining the houses in search of the seeds of the 

 weeds which abounded there. 



ARCTIC REDPOLL, Acanthis hornemanni. Of this rare and beautiful 

 native of Greenland, Iceland, and Spitzbergen, we obtained five 

 specimens a larger number than have been previously known 

 to occur in the British Isles. The material available for the 

 study of this little known species has thus been considerably 

 augmented, and it is hoped that the young stages of its plumage, 

 hitherto undiscovered, will be found among our Fair Isle 

 captures. This, however, is not the occasion on which to 

 discuss this interesting question. 



The first birds to come under our notice were a party of 

 three, consisting of a beautiful adult male and two younger 

 birds, which appeared on iSth September and frequented a 

 small enclosure in front of one of the crofters' houses where 

 they fed on the seeds of weeds and were exceedingly tame. 

 Here they remained for three days, when our attention was 

 drawn to the fact and the birds secured. On the 2Qth a second 

 adult male was obtained while seeking food among low herbage 

 by a roadside. On loth October another young bird was added 

 to our collection. The adults in life appeared to be almost 

 entirely white, and were very pretty and conspicuous objects. 

 Four of these interesting birds have been presented to the 

 collection of birds in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh. 



This species has not hitherto been detected in Scotland, 

 and only three or four are known to have occurred in England, 

 all on the N.E. coast. 



TWITE, Linota flavirostris. This bird was remarkably abundant 

 during the whole of our visit, and we did not detect the least 

 indication of any diminution in its numbers through emigra- 

 tion. The Twite population of the island is to be reckoned in 

 thousands. At first they were everywhere, especially on the 

 face of the cliffs, where, in family parties and small congeries, 

 they were engaged feeding on the seed-bearing plants which 

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