THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLPl 



We have referred more than once to the extraordinarily 

 successful results of Mr. W. Eagle Clarke's investigations of 

 the birds which pass through Fair Isle. Mr. Clarke now gives 

 {Ann. S.N. H., 1908, pp. 72-85), details of the occurrences in 

 1907. Many of the systematic observations of movements 

 are reserved, and Mr. Clarke hopes to prepare a full report on 

 the remarkable passage movements witnessed at this station 

 \\hen further investigations have been carried out. 



During 1907 'the movements of no less than one hundred 

 and seventeen species were recorded. Seventy-seven species 

 were observed in the spring, while one hundred and eleven 

 were noted in the autumn. Seventy-one species visited the 

 island both in the spring and autumn of 1907. 



Seventeen new birds were added to the fauna of this 

 remarkable island, making the total number one hundred and 

 sixty. 



The following are brief particulars of the most interesting 

 birds observed ; some we have already mentioned in a short 

 list lyvide supra, p. 296) : — 



Mistle-Thrush {Turdus viscivorus). — This very rare visitor 

 to the Orkneys and Shetlands visited Fair Isle in small 

 numbers in the spring and autumn of 1907. 



Greater Wheatear [Saxicola oenanthe leucorrhoa). — 

 Examples of this large Greenland form of the Common 

 Wheatear arrived during the first week of September, and 

 numbers passed through at intervals to the end of the month. 

 In the spring the northern passage is said to have begun 

 during the first week of April. No particulars as to 

 measurements are given for the spring birds, and the date of 

 their arrival is exceptionally early. In England, in 1905, no 

 specimen of this large race was recorded before April 10th, 

 ^^■hile, in 1906, although one was procured on April 1st, no 

 others were recorded until April 9th [cf. Bull. B.O.C., 

 vol. XVII. (1st Mig. Rep.), p. 22, and vol. XX. (2nd Mig. 

 Rep.), p. 35). Mr, Clarke ascribes the early arrival to the 

 very mild weather at the end of March, and it will be 

 interesting to see if the " B.O.C. Migration Committee's" 

 Report for 1907 endorses these observations with regard to 

 the arrival of S. oe. leucorrhoa. 



