78 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



They are seldom to be seen any distance inland, but always stick 

 close to the sea-coast. 



Swallow {Hirundo rustica). The Swallow is only a passing 

 visitor here in very small numbers. About the beginning of June 

 a few are to be seen, but flies and moths are scarce here at that 

 time, so they do not stay to breed. 



Sand-martin {Coti/e riparid). Many years ago Sand-martins 

 bred here on some precipitous sand-cliffs at Gott Bay. But the 

 wind gradually wasted away the cliffs, and the birds seldom visit 

 the island now. 



Greenfinch (Ligurinus chloris). These birds arrive in con- 

 siderable flocks, usually about the beginning of November. They 

 frequent the turnip fields when they arrive, but later they visit the 

 stackyards. They shift about a good deal, and often disappear by 

 midwinter. 



House-sparrow {Passer domesticus). The House-sparrows 

 within recent years have become very abundant, and are becoming 

 a nuisance. They build their nests in all sorts of places convenient 

 to them, but generally very inconvenient to the inhabitants. 

 Twenty-five years ago there were no House-sparrows on Tiree. 

 Then two or three females came and bred with the Tree-sparrows, 

 and at the present time (1912) nearly all the Sparrows on the 

 island are House-sparrows. A few of the cross-breds from the 

 Tree-sparrows can be picked out among them. 1 



Tree-sparrow {Passer morttanus), Twenty-five years ago 

 there were two very strong colonies of Tree-sparrows on the island ; 

 one colony at the old ruined churches at Kirkapol, and another at 

 the kelp works at Middleton, at the south-west end of the island. 

 At the present time (1912) the Tree-sparrows have become very 

 scarce, having been ousted by the House-sparrow. They did not 

 breed under the eaves of houses, and other inconvenient places, but 

 only in old ruins and old kelp-sheds. 



Chaffinch {Fringilla Calebs). A very few come here every 

 year about the beginning of November, and remain about the 

 stackyards most of the winter. 



Brambling {Fringilla montifringilld). A very rare visitor to 

 the island, and only one or two have been observed. 



1 No mention of the interbreeding of the House- and Tree-sparrows is made 

 in the author's paper on the Birds of Tiree in the Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist, for 1S98. 

 Statements to the effect that these two species have interbred in a wild state 

 appear to us to stand in need of confirmation. EDS. 



{To be continued^) 



