ON THE AVIFAUNA OF THE OUTER HEBRIDES 139 



some seasons in great numbers, as in 1887, few or none may be 

 seen in others at the southern stations, as in 1889. The Migration 

 Schedules, in such cases, alone can give any idea of migration past 

 these isles ; and now we find Redwings migrating past Flannan 

 Isles. 



BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula), p. 46. --The Blackbird is now 

 reported as nesting in Barra, first in 1894, to have then probably 

 wintered there, and to have increased and bred in some numbers 

 again in 1895 ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 1896, p. 24). Previous to 

 this, it had been ascertained to be a very regular passing migrant in 

 autumn throughout the South Isles of Barra ; but at a still earlier 

 date it was not found in summer anywhere south of the Sound of 

 Harris, until, after some years, it came to stay in North Uist. It 

 now appears in apparently increasing numbers on migration, and is 

 seen in larger "rushes" in autumn. This remark applies both to 

 Barra and to Mingulay in fact to most, if not all, of these South 

 Isles of Barra ; and in the north, in the Flannan Isles. With 

 regard to the autumn migration, Mr. M'Elfrish tells me they come 

 with " striking regularity " ; so much so that Sir Win. Smythe and 

 I always know, that whenever we see a Blackbird, we expect to 

 find Woodcock. Stoddart informed Mr. M'Elfrish that a pair bred 

 at Balelone last summer. Very common at Stornoway, as seen by 

 myself on May i, 1902. 



RING-OUZEL (Titrdus torquatus\ p. 47.- On April 8, 1897, 

 one was identified by Dr. M'Rury. This is the first on record any- 

 where to the south of the Sound of Harris ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 

 1898, p. 76). I feel inclined to give up my record of this species as 

 heard by me in Harris, though I can hardly think I could be mis- 

 taken in the voice of a bird I know so well in Sutherlandshire and 

 elsewhere. But it does not appear in any of our schedules farther 

 west than Sule Skerry (Orkney). 



DIPPER (Cinchis aquaticus), p. 47. The Dipper is now con- 

 sidered quite a common species in Lewis and Barra by Mr. 

 C. V. A. Peel. Possibly some slight extension to the southwards 

 of this species may be indicated in the record of its first appearances 

 to the south of the Long Island and Sound of Harris, as related 

 by Dr. M'Rury and Sheriff Webster of Lochmaddy in 1892 

 ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 1892, p. 135). Since then, Dr. M'Rury 

 also records a Dipper which both he and Mr. W. L. MacGillivray 

 saw in Barra in January 1894 ("Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist." 1894, 

 p. 113); and later, Mr. MacGillivray writes to me that "A Dipper 

 was shot in October of that year (1894). I have seen one upon a 

 loch within three miles of Eoligary almost every year since, but not 

 breeding as yet." 



