28 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



gun-range. In addition , to being extremely wary, it frequented 

 ground where cover was entirely absent. This is the second known 

 instance of the bird's occurrence in the British Isles ; the first, a 

 pair, having been obtained in Sussex in the autumn of 1909. 



Blyth's Reed-warbler. The finding of four, perhaps five, 

 examples of this extremely rare British bird was the premier 

 ornithological event in Scottish ornithology for the year. No 

 doubt more examples were present, for all those which came under 

 notice were found in cover, where they were only discovered by 

 diligent and systematic searching of the patches of potatoes and the 

 long coarse grass. They all occurred during our visit to the island, 

 and all but one came under our personal notice. They are plain 

 little birds and might easily be overlooked, and were, moreover, 

 skulking in their habits. The dates of their occurrence were 24th, 

 26th, 29th, and 30th September, and 1st October. Acrocephalus 

 ditmetorum is a summer visitor to Russia and eastwards to Central 

 Asia, and winters in India and Ceylon. It was first recorded as 

 British from a Fair Isle specimen obtained in the autumn of 19 10. 



Icterine Warbler. Examples of this tree-warbler occurred 

 on 5th, 10th, 21st (2), and 22nd August. All these dates are 

 earlier for this bird's appearance in Britain than any other autumn 

 records known to us. They are also the only known autumn visits 

 to Fair Isle. 



Scarlet Grosbeak. A young female occurred on 20th 

 September, and another young bird was found on the 28th. There 

 are three, perhaps four, previous records of this bird's visits to the 

 island ; all in the autumn. 



Northern Bullfinch. A female occurred on 29th October. 

 The previous visits to the island known to us were for the autumns 

 of 1906 and 1910, when it appeared in some numbers. 



Richard's Pipit. One was observed on the high ground on 

 2nd October. There are at least six previous records of the visits 

 of this species, but for the autumn only. 



Temminck's Stint. During the vernal passage, three of these 

 birds the first for spring were observed on 8th, 14th, and 15th 

 June, different birds on each occasion. One which appeared on 

 8th August is the second known autumn occurrence. 



Among the other uncommon birds were : Little Bunting, 

 10 observed between 28th September and nth October. 

 Ortolan Bunting, i seen on 18th May, and several on 1st 

 October. Lapland Bunting, 13 came under notice between 

 14th September and 22nd October. Wood Lark, i on 9th 

 October. Shore Lark, t on 17th October. Grey-headed 



