26 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



fish. One night in November 1901 I saw one vomit a 

 piece of sand eel, or young herring the latter I think 

 i^ inches long by -^ inch broad. It was the tail end of 

 the fish, and, as near as I can judge, about half of it, so that 

 originally it could not have been less than 3 inches long. 



The above are the only birds that nest on the island. 



Every summer about a dozen Whimbrels arrive in May, 

 and remain till the end of July, but never nest. They spend 

 their time feeding all over the island, chiefly on worms and 

 insects. For some time I was inclined to think that they 

 were nesting, but the island is so small, and I watched them 

 so closely, that it was impossible for them to have done so 

 without being detected. But though not breeders, they are 

 very regular visitors, arriving in May and leaving at the end 

 of July or first week of August. A few stragglers are seen in 

 September, but they are birds of passage on their way south. 



The Corncrake is a regular summer visitor in June and 

 July, but does not nest, and very rarely utters its well-known 

 cry. In the months mentioned one or two can be seen 

 almost every day, but I never saw one in August. Occasion- 

 ally in September one is seen, probably resting on its 

 southward journey. 



The Common Swallow (Hirundo rustica) may also be 

 termed a regular summer visitor, a few being seen every 

 year in May and June. 



The Sky Lark (Alanda arvensis] does not nest, but is 

 rarely absent during spring and summer. Flocks are seen on 

 migration in spring. 



(To be continued.'] 



DIPTERA SCOTICA: III. THE FORTH DISTRICT. 



BY PERCY H. GRIMSHAW, F.E.S. 



(Continued from Vol. XII. p. 226.) 



Family SCIOMYZID.E. 



352. ACTORA /ESTUUM, Mg. North Berwick, igth May 1893 

 (P. H. G.), and August 1893 (W. Eagle Clarke); Aberlady, 

 3oth August 1898; and Gullane, 29th August 1900 (Wm. 

 Evans). 



