156 AXXALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



(Corvus corax], the only birds of the species I fell in with 

 during my visit. Saw the first Heron (Ardea cinered] of the 

 season, mobbed by half a score of Terns. Aug. 19. 

 Lovely day, very warm. Saw two Pied Wagtails, both 

 immature. Large flights of Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis) 

 all along the west side of island, over a hundred in some of 

 the flocks. Shot a single Sand Martin (Cotile riparid) near 

 a small pool of water. Saw a single Merlin ; it, and indeed 

 all hawks, were very scarce this autumn. Curlew now more 

 plentiful ; I saw a flock of at least forty. Aug. 20. Dull 

 clay, wind S. Shot a Richardson's Skua at Bridesness ; saw 

 several others, also two Shelduck (Tadorna cornuta), the 

 latter rather scarce here at this season, although several 

 pairs breed annually. Saw five Sanderlings at Nouster 

 along with Turnstones ; of the latter there were numbers now 

 all round the island. Saw two Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus]. 

 Aug. 21. Fine day, wind west. Saw a Peregrine (Falco 

 peregrinus] on west rocks. Aug. 25. Cold, dry day ; strong 

 west wind. A Greenshank seen at the north end, the only 

 one I heard of this season. Aug. 28. Torrents of rain, 

 wind south. Shot four Teal from a flock of between twenty 

 and thirty, the only Teal I got during my stay. Aug. 29. 

 Showery ; wind south, backing to east later on. Got a 

 Richardson's Skua (black and white form). Aug. 30. 

 Wind and rain from the south-east. Aug. 31. Better day ; 

 fair, wind still from the south or south-east. Saw seven Ruffs 

 about the Mill Loch, two single birds and a flock of five ; I 

 bagged five of the seven, one Ruff and four Reeves. Saw a 

 Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilns], for the first time, 

 among the reeds of the Mill Loch. 



September I. Misty day ; some heavy showers ; wind 

 due east. Several Willow Warblers in Holland Garden. I 

 shot a Ruff, a single bird, at Bridesness Loch on the east 

 side of the island. Sept. 2. Misty in morning ; fine after- 

 noon ; wind east. Wounded and lost the first Whinchat 

 (Pratincola rnbetra) I have had the pleasure of seeing in 

 North Ronaldshay. Shot two Pied Flycatchers (Muscicapa 

 atricapilla), and saw a third ; the two I got were immature 

 or females, indeed all I have ever seen or shot here appeared 

 to be so. Sept. 3. Lovely day ; bright sunshine ; wind 



