232 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



that in some seasons it is found in numbers on the hills 

 in late autumn. 



On 5th and 6th October 191 1, several were 

 observed on the rough, rocky faces of the hills ; and qji 

 the 9th one which had been disturbed on the hillside 

 flew down into the crofts. No doubt many more were 

 present than came under our notice, but the nature 

 of the ground the birds frequented, and its great 

 extent, made them very difificult to find. 



* Gallinago major, Great Snipe. — This was another 

 of the interesting visitors which came under observation 

 on 6th September 19 10. In beating the crofts on that 

 day, one was flushed from some rough grass, and 

 alighted among a patch of standing oats. The 

 occurrence of this species at St Kilda is of special 

 interest, as the bird does not appear to have been 

 hitherto observed in any of the Outer Hebridean 

 islands. 



Gallinago gallinago, Common Snipe. — Although 

 the Rev. Neil Mackenzie (p. 76), who was minister on 

 St Kilda from 1829 to 1843, avers that a few were 

 resident, yet it was not until the year 1900, as we are 

 informed by Wiglesworth (p. 41), that the first eggs 

 were found. Since then other nests have been obtained, 

 and it probably breeds annually. Waterston (p. 202), 

 heard one drumming on Mullach Mhor on 14th June 1905. 



We found the Snipe singly in the crofts (sometimes 

 among corn), and on the higher ground, throughout our 

 stay in 1910. On loth September a party of natives who 

 visited Soay, found this bird swarming among the long 

 grass which in places clothes that island. One of these 

 birds, which the captor had taken by putting his foot 

 upon it, was brought to me for determination. 



