216 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



of the island, down to our departure on the 12th of 

 the month. 



^ TuRDUS PILARIS, Fieldfare. — On 4th October 1911, 

 a party of seven were seen, also two single birds. 

 On the nth one was observed in company with 

 Redwings on rough ground behind the village. It is 

 probably an annual visitor, but has not hitherto been 

 recorded for St Kilda. 



TuRDUS MERULA, Blackbird. — The Rev. Neil Mac- 

 kenzie informed Wilson (ii., p. 72), in 1841, that 

 Blackbirds were occasional visitants, and in his notes 

 described it as a regular winter visitor (Mackenzie, 



p. 76). 



A young male of the year was observ^ed by me in the 

 crofts on 6th October. 



^ Erithacus rubecula. Redbreast. — Neil Ferguson 

 informed me that this bird is an annual autumn visitor, 

 and that he sees it about the houses during the w^inter. 

 He described the bird well. 



^ RuTiciLLA PHCENicuRUS, Redsta7't. — This species 

 appeared on two occasions in 1910: on 12th September 

 a bird of the year was observed ; and on the 26th 

 two were seen on the rocks near the landing-place, and 

 another in the crofts. There are a few records only of 

 the visits of this species to the Outer Hebrides, and none 

 previously for St Kilda. 



Saxicola (enanthe, Wheat ear. — Martin (p. 46), in 

 the lists of birds observed by him in 1697, mentions this 

 species under the name of " Stonechacker." ?^IacGillivray 

 (p. 57), the next observer to allude to the Wheatear, 

 states that it was breeding plentifully among the stones 

 in 1840. Steele Elliot (p. 285), in 1894, estimates the 

 pairs breeding at six only. 



