6 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



to the Scottish avifauna, and the second known occurrence of 

 this South-western European bird in the British Isles. The 

 Curlew Sandpiper is probably not infrequent in autumn 

 passage, but has hitherto escaped notice, owing, perhaps, to 

 the inaccessibility, through their ruggedness, of the haunts 

 resorted to by this class of migratory birds during their visits 

 to the island. 



As the result of the year's work the various movements 

 or visits of 134 species were chronicled. These include a 

 number of uncommon visitors. Indeed, the ornithological 

 resources of the island are as yet by no means exhausted. 

 The spring of 191 2, however, was here, as elsewhere, a 

 disappointing one in its general migration aspects, and was 

 unusually unproductive as regards interesting visitors a 

 Hoopoe, several Temminck's Stints, an Ortolan Bunting, a 

 Black Redstart, an Arctic Bluethroat, and a Wood Sandpiper 

 being the only notable ones. The autumn records, however, 

 include the visits of such rare or interesting species as the 

 Black Chat, several Blyth's Reed-warblers, Icterine Warblers, 

 Northern Bullfinch, Scarlet Grosbeaks, a number of Little 

 Buntings, Richard's Pipit, Barred Warblers, Grey-headed 

 Wagtails, Ortolan and Lapp Buntings, Wood Lark, Shore 

 Lark, Temminck's Stint, Wood Sandpiper, and Great Snipe. 



Spring. 



Owing to the prevalence of westerly types of weather 

 during most of the period covering the vernal migrations, 

 there were very few pronounced movements, and no remark- 

 able rushes were chronicled. It is during the latter 

 phenomena that uncommon and totally unexpected visitors 

 are most likely to occur. In 191 2 the birds passed gradually 

 in small numbers a monotonous procession when compared 

 with the happenings of previous years. 



The initial movement of the year occurred on 22nd January, 

 when many Guillemots came in from the sea to pay a first visit 

 to their accustomed breeding haunts on the cliffs ; and many 

 Fulmars were also observed. The next movements also related to 

 the return of certain species which resort to the island for nesting 

 purposes, after having passed the winter in localities probably not 

 very far removed. Thus on 12th February a small parly of Ringed 



