GEOGRAPHIC AT. ASPECTS 81 



for such an out-lvinor station. Considerino- their far 

 west position and their insignificant size, the Flannan 

 Islands, a small uninhabited group almost within sight 

 of St Kilda, are also visited in both spring and autumn 

 by many migratory birds. I have spent autumn bird- 

 watching holidays in both these remote groups, and my 

 experiences will be related in the following studies, 

 where a complete account of their migratory birds will 

 be given. 



Sule Skerry, an islet situated in the Atlantic 35 

 miles west of the Orkney island of Hoy, and Foula, 

 the most westerly of the Shetland Isles, are also visited 

 by many birds during the seasons of passage. An 

 account of the former as a bird-station forms the subject 

 of a subsequent chapter. 



Other instances of the far west course followed are 

 afforded by the fact that a {ew Swallows and Fieldfares 

 annually visit the Faroes, presumably on passage to 

 Scandinavia, since they are not summer visitors to 

 Iceland ^ or Greenland. 



Migration between the British Isles, Faroe, 

 AND Iceland. — Though the great majority of the 

 birds of passage travelling by the east and west 

 coasts are en route for Northern Europe, yet a con- 

 siderable number of those which traverse both these 

 great highways are proceeding to and from Iceland. 

 This island is the summer home of a number of 

 birds which belong to essentially Old World species, 

 such as the White Wagtail, Wheatear, and Whimbrel ; ^ 



^ See the special chapters devoted to the histories of these species as 

 British migratory birds. 



^ Also Meadow- Pipit, Redwing, Grey Lag-Goose, Pink-footed Goose, 

 Teal, Common Scoter, Goosander, Water-Rail, Golden Plover, Snipe, 

 Redshank, etc. 



I. F 



