BIRDS. 97 



Although these birds occur sparingly on spring migration at 

 the Pentland Skerries, yet they seem very local in Orkney, and 

 again in 1889, the only one seen by us was at the same place 

 as the one seen the previous year. 



Pratincola rubicola (.). Stonechat. 



Under " Stonechat " are probably included both this species and 

 the Wheatear, and it is not easy to discriminate, for this reason, 

 all the records of Stonechats sent us by our correspondents. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle informs us that a Stonechat was killed 

 near Kirkwall in 1847, and that they are seen pretty often in 

 Hoy, and may breed there. 



Mr. Irvine-Fortescue saw a pair during several successive 

 summers in Eamsdale, Orphir, where he was certain they bred, 

 although unable to find the nest. They did not come to that 

 locality in 1885, 1886, or 1887. 



It is also said to have been seen in the summer of 1887, near 

 Quanterness; and in July 1888 we saw a pair of old birds with 

 their young in that locality, where they had evidently nested. 



On April 5th, 1888, Mr. Moodie-Heddle wrote us that the 

 Stonechats were about, but that he had not seen a Wheatear (at 

 Melsetter). 



Mr. Gilmour considers the Stonechat a very rare bird at the 

 Pentland Skerries, the first he saw there being on April 5th, 

 1889 : at first sight he took them to be Whinchats, but the 

 white collar identified them. Writing us in 1890, Mr. Irvine- 

 Fortescue says that in 1889 he saw several pairs and family 

 parties, and that they seem to be more numerous than formerly. 

 In that year he saw them in Lyrava Bay in Hoy : also at 

 Linnadale and Naversdale in Orphir, in all of which places 

 they appeared to be breeding. 



Ruticilla phcenicurus (L.). Redstart, 



This elsewhere rapidly increasing species has not as yet become 

 more frequent in Orkney than when Baikie and Heddle wrote. 

 Our excellent correspondent, Mr. Moodie-Heddle, passes the 



G 



