i86 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



This reference seems slightly confusing as to the Outer Hebrides, 

 and is apt to mislead. I would like to adduce some facts with a 

 view to amending the above, and in order to pursue the subject, 

 let us turn to other and older works : 



I. Yarrell (2nd edition), 1845, makes no mention of the 

 species in the Outer Hebrides. 

 II. Harvie-Brown and Buckley, Verf. Fai/na, Outer Hebrides, 

 1888, p. 135: "Recorded as occurring only in the 

 winter in 1830. Seen, however, in pairs at Taransay, 

 in June, and at Vallay in August, and shot on Berneray 

 in May 184 1, but no nests found. Occurred at 

 Mhorsgail, and at or near Stornoway in 1879; and Mr 

 Greenwood found it in the Hebrides, but not in great 

 numbers. We cannot recall ever having met with the 

 species in the Outer Hebrides in summer, not even 

 during visits specially made to the localities mentioned 

 by MacGillivray." 

 III. Saunders (2nd edition), 1899, p. 615: ". . . while in the 

 most of the Outer Hebrides it is chiefly an autumnal 

 visitor." 



From personal experience T. totanus is found to be common 

 and resident (though breeding in no great numbers) ; during the 

 latter half of August a considerable increase may be noted, but 

 these fresh arrivals depart during February or March of the 

 following year. From April to mid-August the bird is still very 

 numerous; a day seldom passes without its being noted, and so we 

 cannot label the species other than "common." Thus I., II., and 

 III. are almost entirely out of harmony with the present conditions. 

 Yet I can well imagine the Redshank to be scarcer in Lewis, Harris, 

 and Barra, owing to those localities being less suited to the bird's 

 habits, than Benbecula and North and South Uist. 



Thus we may safely say that the present status of T. totanus in 

 the Outer Hebrides has greatly changed since the middle of last 

 century. That the species has fluctuated in numbers from time to 

 time might also be suggested ; for instance, during last February 

 and March the Redshank was considerably less in evidence than 

 during the corresponding months of former years. 



Apropos of this type of change I may here mention that the 

 Dunlin {Tringa alpi/ui), formerly a common spring migrant, has 

 become comparatively scarce during that season. This tends to 

 show existing conditions still less in agreement with p. 222 of 

 the B.O.U. list than my initial comparison. F. S. Beveridge, 

 Dunfermline. 



