THE BIRDS OF ST KILDA 205 



states that the Rev. Neil Mackenzie informed him that 

 this bird was said to have nested on the island in January, 

 1 84 1, and that it occasionally visits the island in winter. 

 The Rev. Mr Fiddes told Steele Elliot (p. 284) that 

 hundreds passed over the islands in the winter of 1893, 

 and that great numbers perished. Five were seen by 

 Mr Steele Elliot in June 1894 ; the remnant of the above 

 mentioned flock. 



[Pica pica, Magpie. — Macaulay (p. 160) tells us that 

 Magpies "have been seen in the isle more than once, 

 though very seldom in any other part of the western 

 ^buda."] 



Sturnus vulgaris. Starling. — Starlings are mentioned 

 by Macaulay (p. 160), who visited the island in 1758, and 

 by all subsequent writers. MacGillivray describes them 

 as being very numerous in 1841. Mr Fiddes told 

 Steele Elliot (p. 284) that hundreds passed over the 

 islands in the winter of 1893, great numbers of which 

 perished, and that a few remained over the following 

 summer, but did not breed. 



They are extremely abundant at the present day, 

 gathering together on the stone walls and cleits towards 

 dusk ere they seek their sequestered roosts in the cliffs. 

 I saw no evidence, however, of migratory visitors during 

 my sojourns, but the passage of these birds, which 

 usually commences early in October, had not set in 

 ere my visits ended. 



* Fringilla ccelebs, Chaffinch. — The first Chaffinch 

 was observed on 5th October 1911, and single birds 

 were seen daily in the crofts until the 9th. On the 

 last-named date small numbers arrived, and some were 

 present on the day of our departure. Seven was the 

 largest number seen in company. 



