THE PENTLAND SKERRIES. 57 



on the Skerries ; autumn records are rare. When they do occur 

 the middle of September is about the last date. A young bird 

 on one occasion, 1884, remained all winter. 



Charadriidce. Golden Plovers, Einged Plovers, Lapwings, Turn- 

 stones, and Oyster-catchers, all figure in the schedules, but many 

 of these may only locally migrate, especially as now Lapwings are 

 inclined to stay in increasing numbers all winter. 



Golden Plovers are recorded in February, April, July (rare 

 at this date), August, September, and October. At Auskerry 

 flocks were seen on May 15th, 1883, all day in large numbers. 

 From N. Konaldsay, Golden Plovers are often recorded in August, 

 and many remain there all winter. August seems the busiest 

 month all round for Golden Plovers. 



Ringed Plovers: records of no great interest; they are constantly 

 occurring, and breed there. 



Lapwings : flocks in February and March, and again in Septem- 

 ber ; rare in October ; indeed, not common during any of the other 

 months, but a pair or two nest on the island. Turnstones remain 

 all winter, but Oyster-catchers are mostly seen in end of February 

 and March, and again in September. 



Scolopacidce. Woodcocks are regularly noted in the schedules, 

 but we seem to have few spring records in February, March, and 

 April. In autumn they occur regularly, at times in rushes, not 

 only here, but at N. Eonaldsay, 1884 being a very good season for 

 them. The "rush" comes about 15th to 20th of October. Com- 

 mon Snipe, very few and unimportant entries, with one exception, 

 viz., in February 1885 : "the first was seen on the 16th, and on 

 the 19th a large number all day on the island, where they bred for 

 the first time in 1888." A Jack Snipe was seen on July 4, 1884, a 

 very unusual date. Dunlins generally arrive at the end of April or 

 beginning of May ; they breed on the island. Purple Sandpipers 

 are mentioned, but very rarely, and only in winter. Eedshanks 

 are mentioned, but their movements are of no great interest. 

 Whimbrels, no record. Curlews occur in the schedules in every 

 month in the year ; perhaps rarest in April and May, but a flock 

 is reported in June (1889). Many of these must be non-breeding 



