12 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



object of our sojourn. Throuc^h the kindness of the Com- 

 missioners of Northern Lii^hts, to whom we hereby tender 

 our grateful thanks, we were enabled to spend a month in the 

 lighthouse, from 9th September to 8th October ; during this 

 time we saw 73 species of birds, which with 5 other species 

 sent since our return, are the subject of the following remarks. 



Our work was rendered easier by the covert on the 

 island being very limited ; rough grass clothes most of its 

 surface with every here and there an out-crop of rock, and 

 the only shelter afforded to the migrants is that of the 

 turnips and potatoes grown in the gardens of the light-keepers. 

 Out of these most of the birds had to be beaten, frequently 

 only to drop into covert a few yards off. No great number 

 of birds came to the lantern whil,e we were on the island, but 

 various solitary specimens struck, and were brought to us 

 for identification. 



Our best days were from the 24th to the 30th September. 

 The 24th was a clear day with a light westerly breeze, there- 

 after we had a south-east wind, with haze or fog of varying 

 density till 2nd October when the wind became south and the 

 fog lifted. The 26th September was quite the best migration 

 day ; on that date the Redwings and Bramblings arrived, and 

 along with these winter migrants there were many birds of 

 passage — Warblers, Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Whinchats, 

 Reed Buntings, Wagtails, and Ring Ouzels, etc. — all over the 

 island. As a rule there were not very great numbers of any 

 one species. Thrushes, Rock- and Meadow-Pipits, Wheatears, 

 and Bramblings being the only Passeres seen in any great 

 quantity. 



We were particularly anxious to ascertain whether 

 the Yellow-browed Warbler visited the May on migration. 

 To our great joy one specimen appeared on Sunday, 29th 

 September, and we were fortunate enough to secure it next day; 

 it is the first record of this species for the " Forth " area. 

 Amongst other interesting visitants were the Barred Warbler 

 (first record for " Forth,") the Black-cap, Lesser Whitethroat, 

 Pied Flycatcher, a curious variety of Red -backed Shrike, 

 the Scarlet Grosbeak and the Lapland Bunting (the two 

 last mentioned being also first records for " Forth.") 



The only mammals seen were the Rabbit and the 



