260 Miss Baxter and Miss Rintoul on the [Ibis, 



over to the north-west. They flew quite low, with the 

 steady yet fluttering flight so characteristic of small birds 

 ou a long journey. Autumn passage takes place chiefly 

 in October and November, though Greenfinches are occa- 

 sionally seen as early as September, but no large flocks are 

 ever recorded. This species frequently visits the island in 

 winter, always in small numbers. 



Spinus spinus. The Siskin. The spring records for the 

 Isle of May are : three on 25 March, 1909, a male on 

 13 May, 1911, and another on 13 May, 1913. Large flocks 

 frequently occur in autumn ; passage at this season takes 

 place between 22 September and mid-November. The 

 only winter record is of a flock of about half-a-dozen on 

 1 January, 1883. 



Passer domesticus domesticus. The House - Sparrow. 

 Between 1881 and 1885 there are scattered records of from 

 one to a few House-Sparrows on the island in February, 

 March. May, November, and December. The first autumn 

 we were there (1907) we saw a few throughout our stay, 

 and Mr. Ross, then chief engineer on the island, told us 

 that they had bred that year — the first time to his know- 

 ledge. After this they seem to have vanished from the 

 island, our only other record being of a male, found dead 

 on 23 May, 1911 ; it had been dead for a considerable time. 



Passer montanus montanus. The Tree-Sparrow. Resi- 

 dent, several pairs breeding on the island. Also a passage 

 migrant, much less numerous in spring (April-May) than 

 in autumn (October and first week of November). The 

 immigrants we have seen were always in much finer plumage 

 than the local birds. 



Fringilla coelebs ccelebs. The Chaffinch. A bird of 

 double passage, very large flocks occurring in autumn, 

 lesser numbers in spring ; both sexes are represented. 



Fringilla montifringilla. The Brambling. Passage 

 migrant and occasional winter visitor. Spring passage 



