REPORT ON SCOTTISH ORNITHOLOGY IN I914 221 



The Oystercatcher, Hamatopus ostralegus ostralegus. — Single 

 birds are recorded from Fair Isle on several occasions during 

 January, and at the Killantringan lantern at 2 a.m. on 21st 

 January, while Oystercatchers were passing over Largo about 

 7 p.isi., and again between 10 and 11 p.isi. on 21st February. 

 From 6th February to 23rd March records of return come from 

 stations in our Northern Isles, the greatest number noted being 

 "many" at Fair Isle on nth March. Flocks of thirty-four and 

 fifty were seen on Luce Sands on 13th June, and a flock of two 

 hundred in Wigtown Bay on 25th June. 



Oystercatchers were heard passing at night frequently at Lahill 

 and Largo (Fife) between 13th and 20th July, between 9 and 10 p.m. 

 on 22nd August, and on 13/ 14th September chiefly between 2 and 

 3 A.M. Many had returned to the shore at Boarhills (E. Fife) by 

 22nd July, and to Aberlady by 25th July, and on 13th August 

 Oystercatchers were flying west over Braid Hills in the evening. 

 A few were at the Little Ross lantern on 23rd and 29th August, 

 and one or two birds are recorded at Fair Isle up to the end 

 of the year. 



The Dotterel, Charadrius morinelliis. — On 19th June a 

 Dotterel that "had been dead about a month" was found in West 

 Renfrew under telegraph wires. On the night of 2 9/'3oth August 

 some Dotterel were at the lanterns of the Isle of May and Mull 

 of Galloway (i. 191 4, 239) ; on 30th August some were seen on 

 the island station, and that night (30/3 ist) hundreds were at the 

 May lantern; a good many struck and four were killed (i. 

 1914, 239). 



The Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula. — Several Ringed 

 Plover are recorded at Lerwick on nth January, six arrived at 

 Fair Isle on 5th February, and during the latter month there are 

 several notes of single birds at these two stations. One appeared 

 at Pentland Skerries on ist March, and several immigrants at Fair 

 Isle on 14th March. On 21st April Ringed Plover arrived to breed 

 at Blairgowrie, and on 15th and 16th May one was on the Isle of 

 May (i. 1914, 199). On 9th July a Ringed Plover was on Pentland 

 Skerries and eleven there two days later, one was killed at the 

 Flannans lantern at 10 p.m. on 4th August, three were seen at this 

 station on loth and one on r3th August. Between 22nd August 

 and 19th September inland passage is recorded pretty frequently 

 from Balgray Dam, East Renfrew, the maximum number seen 

 being "at least thirty" on 5th September, while on 24th August 



