98 BIRDS. 



bird over in silence, though we may expect when it does spread 

 to these islands, that Hoy will be the first place where it will 

 be found breeding. 



We can at present add but very few instances of its occur- 

 rence to that already recorded, viz., one shot by Mr. W. Eeid 

 at Highland Park, Kirkwall, in 1852. 



In another instance Mr. Millais saw a male sitting on a turf 

 bank about two miles from Kirkwall, on the Stromness road, 

 on April 20th, 1887 ; he was driving at the time, and the bird 

 allowed the trap to come within a yard or two of it. 



Mr. Gilmour has since reported to us several instances of 

 this species being seen at the Pentland Skerries. On May 1st, 

 1888, he saw a male and female, along with Ring-Ouzels, Field- 

 fares, Chaffinches, Whinchats, and one Snow Bunting, a curious 

 collection of summer and winter visitors. 



On the 17th Redstarts were numerous, there being more 

 females than males. This, Mr. Gilmour adds, was a great migra- 

 tion day. 



Again, on May 10th, 1889, Mr. Gilmour saw a Redstart at 

 the same place. 



Mr. Ranken sent us another specimen, a female apparently, 

 which had been picked up dead near the little ness at Gleitness, 

 near the end of October 1889. Unfortunately the bird was 

 too much decomposed for preservation, and from its emaciated 

 appearance seemed to have been starved to death. 



Ruticilla titys (Scop.). Black Redstart. 



On the 20th of December 1859, Mr. W. Reid shot a specimen of 

 this bird at Kirkwall, and in answer to some inquiries, sent 

 us the following particulars : 



" The Black Redstart which I shot at Kirkwall was a male, 

 in fine plumage. There was snow on the ground at the time. 

 I was returning to town, having been out after hares, and had 

 one of the barrels of the gun loaded, when I saw the little bird 

 clinging to the north gable of the Earl's Palace, as if hunting 

 for the eggs and larvae of insects, as I thought. It moved 



