LITTLE AUKS IN WEST OF SCOTLAND IN 1894-5, 195 
Notes on the Irruption of Little Auks (Mergulus alle, Linn.) 
in the Winter of 1894-5 on the West of Scotland 
—Oban to Ayr. By Joun Paterson. 
{Read 26th March, 1895.] 
THE irruption of Little Auks in the winter of 1894-5 in point 
of magnitude is without a parallel so far as the history of 
Ornithology in Scotland has been written. On this account it is 
important that, while its memory is fresh, some attempt should 
be made to record as many of the occurrences as possible for that 
portion of Scotland, chiefly west of this city, having as its 
northern limit the Sound of Mull, and extending to Lendalfoot 
in South Ayrshire. From an inquiry relating to this area not 
much can be hoped for, as it is not favourably placed for receiving 
a share of the mass of birds which, travelling from the north, 
strike our eastern seaboard, and become dispersed along the 
coasts there. 
As regards what is strictly called the Clyde Faunal Area, it is 
landlocked to the north, east, and west, and, while forming a 
natural trap for any movement from the south, can only expect 
to be favoured with a few birds blown from the companies 
arriving on the east, or such as, arriving on the west, straggle 
down to Argyll, and reach Clyde from the west. As the 
natural corollary, then, of the geographical position of the Clyde 
area, we find the list for this district to be a very meagre one. 
I may here say that before I had gone far in this inquiry, I 
learned from Mr. W. Eagle Clarke that he was collecting informa- 
tion for the whole of Scotland, with the view of publishing details, 
and a map, in the April number of the Annals of Scottish Natural 
History, showing the wreck of this species on our shores. Such 
data as he asked for I placed at his disposal, and the fact is here 
referred to because he has promptly sent me a proof of the paper 
he is publishing. I have thus the advantage of reviewing his 
opinion with regard to the occurrences on the west. It appears 
that only two specimens are reported from the Outer Hebrides, 
