204 BIRDS. 



Vanellus vulgaris, Bechst. Lapwing. 

 Ore. = Tee-whoop (Low). Tee-ick. 



Still abundant though not nearly so much so as formerly ; a few 

 now remain throughout the winter. 



Mr. T. W. Ranken writes us as follows : 



"The Green Plover is still abundant in Orkney, but not 

 nearly so much so as they used to be some forty or fifty years 

 ago. They were seldom observed to winter here until about 

 twenty years ago, when they began to do so in large numbers, 

 and now a considerable quantity remain throughout the year, 

 which is augmented towards the end of February by other 

 migratory birds. I have observed that a considerable number 

 do not pair, but remain in small flocks until these are increased 

 by the addition of the breeding birds and their young. Query 

 Are these barren birds not the young of the previous year, 

 which do not breed until the second year ?" 



Mr. Irvine-Fortescue sends us a record of the dates on 

 which the Lapwing has appeared at Swanbister. On only one 

 occasion has he seen them as early as January ; this was at 

 Deer Sound, and he adds that " a few may occasionally winter 

 on Deer Sound or Scapa Bay." The Lapwings seemed mostly 

 to arrive about the middle of February; on one occasion, 1879, 

 not until the middle of March. Mr. Irvine-Fortescue adds that 

 from the 8th to the 12th of April is the time to find nests full 

 of fresh eggs in his locality. 



Mr. Watt, writing from Skaill, says that the Lapwing arrives 

 in his locality during the months of February and March, and 

 that a few sometimes remain throughout the winter. 



We ourselves have seen Lapwings in Rousay quite at the end 

 of November or the beginning of December. On one occasion 

 we found a nest of five eggs, all just commencing to hatch out. 



Strepsilas interpres (L.) Turnstone. 

 Ore. = Stone putter (J. G. M.-H.). 



A common autumn and winter visitant, but Mr. Moodie-Heddle 

 remarks that they, like other small shore birds, are getting 



