222 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



Kilda proper for them to eat, except pigeons and 

 plovers." The Rev. Neil Mackenzie (p. 8i) remarks 

 that they remain all the year round. The Goshawk, 

 Falco palumbarius of Atkinson (p. 224), is undoubtedly 

 this species. 



At the present time, I was informed that two, or at 

 the most three pairs nest in the St Kilda group, and 

 that the sites of the nests are on Boreray, Dun, and 

 perhaps Soay. We frequently saw these birds during 

 our rambles. 



Falco ^salon. Merlin. — Steele Elliot (p. 282) 

 describes it as occurring frequently, and relates that 

 one flew in at the Manse window and was secured. 

 There are no other records, however. 



We saw one or more of these birds almost daily 

 throughout our visits. They proved a great source 

 of annoyance to us, since they frequently swept over 

 the crofted area, our main observing ground, in search 

 of small birds, among which they naturally created 

 great alarm and unrest. This species is probably a 

 regular visitor to the islands during the periods of 

 the great migratory movements in the spring and 

 autumn. 



Falco tinnunculus. Kestrel. — MacGilHvray (p. 56) 

 in 1840 states that it breeds in the precipices in small 

 numbers ; and Wilson (ii., p. 72) includes it as a member 

 of the St Kilda avifauna in 1841. Dixon (p. 80) says 

 that it is an occasional visitor, but that he could find 

 no evidence of its ever breeding. 



Single individuals, probably birds on passage, came 

 under my notice on 8th and 19th September, 



[AcciPiTER Nisus, Sparrow- Hawk. — Dixon (p. 359) 

 tells us that one was seen by Mr Mackenzie on 



