BIRD NOTES FROM THE ISLE OF MAY 19 



They next appeared on 27th September, and we saw them 

 most days till our departure ; some came to the lantern on 

 the night of 3rd October. We used constantly to see them 

 flying over the island, coming from the N.E. and passing on 

 without ahghting. 



Shore Lark, Otocorys alpestris. — One was got at the lantern by 

 Mr. Maccuish, at 10.30 p.m. on the i ith October, and sent 

 on to us. 



Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. — Seen every day during our stay : 

 a few only till 13th September, then a good many till the 

 25th, when a lot more came in and stayed till 2nd October; 

 thereafter a good many each day till we left. 



Hoodie Crow, Corvus comix. — One on the island from the 28th 

 September to the 5th October; it was very tired when it first 

 arrived. 



Short-eared Owl, Asia accipitrinus. — Two on the island on the 

 2nd October (S. wind, light) ; they were seen by Mr. Maccuish 

 cominsf in from the N.E. about noon. 



Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregri/ius. — One bird of this species 

 came in over the sea from the N.E. on i6th September, going 

 at a terrific pace, right into the wind. It made several zig-zag 

 sweeps, coming quite close to us in one of them, and then 

 went on over the island in the direction of the Bass. 



Merlin, Falco cesalon, — One 9 seen near the harbour on the 

 15 th September. 



Kestrel, Falco tin?iunculus . — One or two seen on several occasions 

 from 13th September to 2nd October. An extraordinarily 

 tame Kestrel was on the island on the 26th September; several 

 times it allowed us to come within a few yards of it. 



Cormorant, Phalacroccrax carbo. — Several seen most days about 

 the rocks and in the sea. 



Shag, Phalacroccrax gracuhis. — Seen in some numbers about the 

 rocks and in the sea during our stay on the island. Towards 

 evening, as a rule, the Shags and Cormorants might be seen 

 hurrying off to the west cliffs ; there they soared in circles, at 

 varying heights, settling on the cliffs for a minute as they came 

 round, and then flinging themselves off and circling again. 

 Sometimes these flights were level with the top of the cliff, at 

 others just over the water ; we noticed that when there was a 

 fresh west wind the flights were higher above the sea than at 

 any other time. 



Gannet, Sicla bassana. — Seen passing throughout our stay ; several 

 times they fished close off the island, but we never saw one fly 



