258 Miss Baxter and Miss Riutoul on the [Ibis, 



of most species tends to be shorter than that in autumn. 

 There are, too, certain species of birds which very rarely, or 

 never occur in spring but which are not very uncommon in 

 autumn. The brilliancy of plumage of birds in spring makes 

 identification much easier, and their less skulking habits at 

 that season, as well as the smaller amount of covert on the 

 island, tend to reduce the number which escape notice. 



We have examined many birds killed at the lantern, both 

 in spring and autumn, and have never found any food in 

 their crops or stomachs, though occasionally one or two 

 particles of grit were present. 



The following is a list of all the birds known to have 

 occurred on the island, with their status there; they number 

 178. We have added our field-notes, and it must be under- 

 stood that these are made from our own observations on the 

 island and refer to the birds' behaviour there. One asterisk 

 before the name of the bird indicates that it was new to the 

 Forth list, two that it was new to Scotland, and three that 

 it had not before been recorded for Britain. 



List of Species. 



Corvus corone corone. The Carrion-Crow. Occurs on 

 passage in both spring and autumn, more commonly at the 

 former season. In spring it has been recorded throughout 

 March and April and up to 18 May, and in autumn from 

 26 September to 16 November. An occasional straggler 

 appears in winter. 



Corvus cornix comix. The Hooded Crow. A bird of 

 double passage, more common in autumn than in spring ; 

 considerable numbers sometimes appear in easterly winds. 

 In spring, passage takes place in March and April and occa- 

 sionally, in small numbers, throughout May, while single 

 birds have been recorded on 2 & 9 June and 5 July. In 

 autumn, passage begins in the end of September and con- 

 tinues till mid-November ; single birds sometimes visit the 

 island in winter, and a number appeared thereon 6 January, 

 1917. 



