THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE, NATIVE AND MIGRATORY 19 



percher, and when disturbed while feeding it almost invariably 

 alighted on fences, posts, and walls ; and even appeared to 

 be quite at home and readily balanced itself on a single strand 

 of wire. 



It seems to me strange, after my experiences during the 

 past two autumns, that this species should have been abundant 

 on two remote Scottish Islands, and yet should have entirely 

 escaped notice elsewhere in Northern Britain. I may say 

 that this bird again appeared in some numbers at the Flannans 

 during the autumn of 1905. 



SKYLARK, Alauda arre/isis. This species is a resident, but whether 

 the breeding birds remain during the winter or are represented 

 at that season by others from farther north is uncertain. We 

 found the native birds common, but confined to the cultivated 

 area. On i6th September a very considerable increase was 

 observed, and the birds were then found in all parts of the 

 island. This immigration was followed by a departure movement 

 on the 1 8th, but the species remained fairly abundant down to 

 our departure on yth of October. 



I was informed that during snow many skylarks are captured 

 for food by means of horsehair snares. I am inclined to think 

 that these winter residents are birds of Continental origin, for 

 if it were otherwise the small native stock would soon become 

 extinct through capture during the winter, in the manner above 

 alluded to. 



WHITE WAGTAIL, Motacilla alba. This was the only species of 

 Wagtail observed. It was quite common as a bird of passage, 

 and was present on our arrival on the island in some numbers 

 and remained so until i5th September, when a marked decrease, 

 due to an emigratory movement southward, was noted. After 

 this date only a few laggards were seen, and these were further 

 reduced to two by 3rd October, one of which was present down 

 to the day of our departure, yth October, a very late date for this 

 species to have remained so far north. The birds haunted the 

 few strips of beach afforded by the island, being attracted there 

 by the flies which abounded among the decaying seaweed at 

 or above high-water mark. Others were observed as frequent 

 visitors to the refuse heap near the lighthouse buildings where 

 flies were likewise abundant. 



MEADOW PIPIT, Anthus pmtensis. This species is a common 

 summer visitor to the island, and is also observed abundantly 

 on passage in spring and autumn. It was present in numbers 

 down to 1 5th September, when many departed on their journey 

 southwards. After this it was observed in small numbers down 

 to the end of our visit. The main arrival of birds of passage 



