VOL. XIII.] THE BIRDS OF BARDSEY ISLAND. 67 



The Ortolan Bunting {Emberiza hortulana). 



An immature bird was taken at the lantern on September 

 2nd 3rd, 1913, and on the next morning another was clearly 

 identified on one of the field banks amongst a flock of Common 

 Buntings, which were constantly visiting a patch of standing 

 oats. Its silvery note, uttered on the wing, was always very 

 distinctive. None were seen on the 5th, but the same bird 

 or another was seen on the 6th, while two fresh ones were 

 identified on the 7th. No more were then seen untU the 

 nth, when another single bird was seen, having evidently 

 arrived with Meadow-Pipits, Linnets and Common Buntings 

 during the night. Each one of these birds proved difficult 

 of approach : they sat high up on bramble-sprays growing 

 from the top of the turf walls, in exactly the same way as the 

 Common Buntings, but with glasses their greenish tint and 

 pinkish bills could be clearly seen. The last bird when 

 flushed flew out of sight to the east over the southern shoulder 

 of the mountain, evidently following the usual Pipit route. 



The Reed-Bunting {Emberiza s. schceniclus). 



Twice recorded from the light, a few on April I4th'i5th, 

 1912 and one on February 27th/28th, 1913. 



The Snow-Bunting {Pledrophenax nivalis). 

 One record, December 5th /6th, 1913. 



The Sky- Lark {Alauda a. arvensis). 



A regular double-passage migrant in considerable numbers. 



Spring passage from the second week in February to mid- 

 April ; in largest numbers in the latter part of February. 

 Occasional records in January as with the Starling and 

 TurdidcB. 



Autumn passage from the last week of September to mid- 

 November, in some years to the third week of December ; 

 in largest numbers in October. 



One of the most surprising things about the avifauna of 

 Bardsey is the absence of the Sky-Lark as a summer resident, 

 which has already been commented upon by Mr. Aplin, nor 

 were any seen by Mr. Coward nor by myself. 



In September 1913 we were too early to see anything but 

 just the beginning of the autumn migration, though two birds 

 had arrived before the 3rd and were seen in the same place 

 daily up to the 14th, when a third had joined them. Three 

 or four new ones came in on the night of the i6th'i7th, and 

 on the morning of the 21st there were quite a lot in the fields 

 of roots and potatoes. 



