THE BIRDS OF FAIR ISLE 143 



haunts. Several birds of the Red-spotted species also 

 arrived at the same time. 



These occurrences are the only known visits of this 

 species to Scotland, and Fair Isle marks the northern 

 limit of the known wanderings of this Central European 

 summer bird. 



RuTiciLLA PHCENicuRUS, Redstart. — The Redstart is 

 a regular and common visitor in both spring and 

 autumn. 



The earhest dates for its advent in spring are 22nd 

 March 1909, and the 4th and 9th April, when single 

 males appeared. There are other April records for the 

 i8th, 2ist, and 23rd; but it is not until 12th May that 

 it has appeared in numbers, and the passage usually 

 lasts until the end of the third week of the month. In 

 some seasons a few have been observed as late as 

 the end of the first week of June, and a single bird was 

 seen on 13th June in 1910. 



According to the records, the males arrive first in 

 spring, being from six to seventeen days in advance 

 of the females. Later both sexes appear simultaneously 

 on passage. 



The return movements usually commence in Sep- 

 tember, the 13th being the average date for the bird's 

 appearance. In the autumn of 19 10, an early season, 

 the first migrant was seen on 29th August. The main 

 flights occur towards the end of September, but small 

 numbers appear during October, and there is one record 

 for 2nd November. 



Its haunts during its visits are the stone walls in 

 the vicinity of the houses. Its main retreats, however, 

 are the high cliffs of the western side, where insects are 

 abundant. Here it may be seen on fine days ever and 



