REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN 19 1 7 157 



a party of five Goldfinches, and great flocks of Linnets, 

 Skylarks, and Meadow-pipits were seen near Musselburgh 

 in February (1. 1917, 50). There are some records of Little 

 Auks, but no great number anywhere. The winter of 

 1917-18, on the other hand, was a most notable season 

 because of the fact that there were so few winter visitors 

 in the country. From all parts come reports of the absence 

 of Fieldfares and Redwings : from Duns we note, " no Field- 

 fares, and about six Redwings in all, Thrushes in much 

 reduced numbers " ; none were seen at Largo, Dundee, nor 

 Cullen, and on the West Coast the same state of affairs 

 prevailed. Mr Robertson says they have " never been as 

 scarce in Clyde as this winter," none were seen at Kilmacolm, 

 they were " absent" from the Glasgow district, and very few 

 were seen at Bathgate. Bramblings and Snow-buntings, 

 too, were unusually scarce, very small numbers only being 

 recorded, and there was an absence of Goldcrests, Blue Tits, 

 Cole Tits, and Tree-creepers from Kilmacolm. Pink-footed 

 Geese, on the other hand, were "exceptionally abundant" 

 at Aberlady, "where at least five hundred wintered," other 

 Geese, Ducks, and Waders were very much as usual, and 

 there are a few stray records of Little Auks. 



Ringing. 



Although the returns of ringed birds are fewer in 1917 

 than usual, there are several of peculiar interest among 

 them. Chief among these are a Gannet, ringed at the Bass 

 Rock on 30th July 191 3, and recovered at Aalesund, 

 Romsdale, Norway, on 28th January 1917 (2. xi. 22), and a 

 Woodcock ringed at Ballymete, Co. Sligo, 12th May 19 14, 

 recovered at Skellister, Nesting, Shetland, on 7th July 191 7 

 (1. 1917, 276). There is again evidence of winter emigration 

 from Scotland to Ireland : a Song-thrush ringed near Glasgow 

 in July 191 5 was recovered in Co. Roscommon in January 

 191 7. Particularly interesting records are those of Lapwings 

 ringed near Glasgow on 14th May and 5th June 1910, one of 

 which was recovered at Falmouth in February 1917, the 

 other in Co. Roscommon on 16th January 1917 (2. xi. 1S5). 

 Other reports of Lapwings marked in Scotland and recovered 



