THE ISLE OF USHANT, ETC. 315 



Some of our notes relating to the birds observed on 

 the island are at variance with the experience of the late 

 Mr Cecil Smith, the author of The Birds of Guernsey 

 and Neighbouring Islands of Alderney, etc., published 

 in 1879. Such critical remarks as I have to offer 

 will be found under the respective species in the sub- 

 joined list. 



The following is a short account of all the species 

 which came under notice at Ushant, and of some of 

 those observed at Alderney : — 



CoRvus CORAX, Raven. 



Ushant. — The cliffs of Ushant afford a home and 

 nesting-place for a pair of Ravens, whose presence was 

 well known to the natives. These birds were seen 

 daily in company ; but their young had, no doubt, been 

 long since banished from the isle of their birth. 



Sark. — Three Ravens were seen and heard under the 

 east cliffs on 29th September. Mr Smith, writing in 

 1879, regards this bird as an occasional straggler, not a 

 breeding bird on any of the Channel Islands. We had 

 little doubt that the birds observed were natives. 



Sturnus vulgaris. Starling. 



Ushant. — The lighthouse-keepers report that this is 

 an extremely abundant bird of passage, and that it is 

 also common as a winter visitor, especially during severe 

 weather. 



At the commencement of the third week of September, 

 the Starling had not yet arrived at Ushant ; but we 

 picked up a pair of withered wings of an unfortunate of 

 the previous season. 



Passer domesticus, House-Sparrow, 



Ushant. — A^Very common resident. 



