( 215 ) 

 MANX ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES, 1905-1908. 



BY 

 P. G. RALFE. 



The following information is additional to the ornitho- 

 logical record for the Isle of Man since the publication 

 of the author's work on its birds at the end of 1905, 

 and up to the end of 1908. For the sake of com- 

 pleteness some occurrences already recorded in other 

 periodicals have also been included here. 



During this period the breeding of the Short-eared 

 Owl and Woodcock in Man has been established. 

 Information regarding certain of its smaller birds is no 

 doubt still imperfect, and the observation of English 

 naturalists who may visit the island would be well 

 directed to the investigation of localities likely to 

 harbour species so familiar to them as, for instance, the 

 Garden- Warbler, Tree-Pipit and Yellow Wagtail. There 

 seems good reason to believe that the last-mentioned 

 visits, and even nests in Man, but so far it does not 

 seem to have been recorded with certainty. 



Mistle- Thrush (Turdus viscivorus). — Many more nests have 

 now been found on ledges of rocks and in walls, and in 

 some treeless districts nesting in such situations must be 

 looked upon as the normal habit of the species. In 1906 

 there was a nest in a " crane " in the limestone quarry 

 at Scarlett ; in 1907 one on a beam which bridged over 

 a gap amidst the sheds and machinery of the same 

 quarry. 



Whinchat (Pratincola rubetra). — In May, 1907, another 

 example was seen by Mr. F. S. Graves and myself near 

 the farm on the Calf of Man. In 1908 a male specimen 

 (the second) from the Point of Ayre Lighthouse was 

 given by Mr. J. Bell to the Ramsey Museum. 



Redstart (Ruticilla fhoenicurus). — On the night of May 

 12th-13th, 1906, a female was picked up at Langness 

 Lighthouse. In 1908 Mr. J. Bell gave to the Ramsey 

 Museum a male specimen which had been taken at the 

 Point of Ayre Light, and a female was killed at Langness 

 on September 23rd. This and the last species must both 



