THE FLANNAN ISLES 261 



The morning of the 17th was characterised by a high 

 wind from the south-west, accompanied by a downpour 

 of rain. On venturing out soon after 8 a.m., I found 

 the island swarming with Jack Snipe. They were in 

 astonishing numbers, and sheltering behind rocks, tufts 

 of grass, in the small pools and runnels, and even down 

 the face of cliffs on the north-side. In walking across 

 the island I put up a continuous stream of them, in 

 spite of the fact that the birds sat like stones, and only 

 those arose on the wing which lay direcdy in my course, 

 and when I was close upon them. It was a most 

 remarkable experience, and one entirely unexpected, 

 in view of the species and the locality. It was 

 surprising, too, to find that the Jack Snipe migrated in 

 such vast packs. I believe that a record ''bag" could 

 have been made on this i6-acre island, in an hour's 

 shooting. I have no doubt that they were abundant on 

 the other islands of the group, and probably especially 

 so on the adjacent and comparatively flat-topped Eilean 

 Tigh. The birds were present in numbers the entire 

 day, but nearly all, perhaps all, departed during the 

 night, and the few (eight) seen on the following day may 

 have been fresh arrivals, as may also those observed on 

 the 19th and 20th. 



Dunlin, Tringa alpina. — The islands afford no suit- 

 able feeding-grounds for this bird, but a few visit them 

 during the seasons of passage. Two of these migrant 

 visitors came under our notice — namely, one on 8th 

 September, and another on the i6th. 



Curlew, Numenms arquata. — A regular visitor on 

 passage in both spring and autumn. A few small parties 

 came under our notice on nth, 12th, and 13th 

 September. 



n. R 2 



