170 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
way.’ ‘They are seen, however, every year in some numbers in 
October. At Sumburgh Head, Mr. Anderson says, “ In twenty- 
one years I have not seen so few birds strike the lantern”; and 
My. Tulloch, writing from North Ronaldshay, says, ‘‘ We have 
had so much of N.W. winds here this fall, that I think the birds 
have been kept more towards the south.” Similar complaints of 
scarcity of migrants reach me from Auskery, Hoy Sound (High), 
Holborn Head, Ness Head, and Isle of May; and an entire 
absence of all birds—‘‘ since the schedules came to hand”—is 
reported at several of these stations. The reason assigned by 
Mr. Tulloch is no doubt the correct one. From other stations 
local influences probably have more to do with the scarcity, as, 
for instance, the unfavourable positions of the lanterns. Thus, 
Cromarty is “situated on the point of the town of Cromarty, and 
alinost among the houses.” During seventeen years that the 
present principal light-keeper has been there, he does not think 
that more than a dozen birds have struck the glass. Altogether, 
few of our Scottish stations are situated in as favourable positions 
for observation as the lightships of the English coast. Perhaps 
the Bell Rock and Isle of May are the most favourable in the 
south, and the Pentland Skerries and some of the Orkney and 
Shetland stations in the north. 
Besides the records under the various species which have been 
identified, there are many records of birds striking or passing, 
which were not identified. It is from a comparison of these and 
the other records that I arrive at the conclusion that the above 
stations are the most favoured. Thus, large numbers of birds 
struck the lantern of Bell Rock, and were lost between midnight 
and dawn on Oct. 7th, and again on the 14th, between 3 a.m. and 
dawn; on both occasions in foggy, hazy, or rainy weather, &c., as 
is almost invariably the case. I have not been able to trace from 
actual data, except in a few cases, the direction of the flight of 
the migrants, as such has not, as a rule, been noted by the 
reporters. It would be an advantage to have this done next 
season, under the column in the schedule for “ General Obser- 
vations.” The species which have appeared in greatest numbers 
are Thrushes and Blackbirds, Larks, Wheatears, and Swallows; 
whilst Hooded Crows—noted as most numerous on the English 
east coast—are absent from all the Scottish returns, and Rooks 
occur only in one very far north instance, viz., at North Unst. 
