THE BIRDS OF SCILLY. 249 



of Bryher, and on May 28th, 1905, an adult female was caught 

 near Holy Vale. Young specimens of the Pied Flycatcher occur 

 not infrequently in twos and threes during autumn migration. 

 A single bird was seen on April 16th, 1903, near Hugh Town, 

 St. Mary's. A Kedbreasted Flycatcher was obtained by Pechell 

 in the Abbey Gardens on Nov. 2nd, 1863. F. B. Bodd and he 

 were watching some Chiffchaffs, when some young Pied Fly- 

 catchers appeared, accompanied by a strange bird, whose white 

 tail-feathers, flycatcher habits, and general resemblance to the 

 Chiffchaffs puzzled them considerably. The bird was identified 

 by Vingoe as a male in immature plumage, and afterwards by 

 Gould (Zool. 1863, p. 8841). On Nov. 5th, 1865, Jenkinson 

 obtained another specimen in the same locality. 



The Swallow is common throughout the summer, and has 

 been recorded for every month of the year. The sunny side of 

 the Abbey is a favourite resort during the winter, and so, too, is 

 the Broad Walk. On Dec. 10th, 1903, five birds were hawking 

 gnats beside the Abbey during the whole morning. The Martin 

 does not breed, but is not uncommon throughout the summer, 

 and, like the Swallow, is not infrequently seen during the winter 

 months at Tresco. In the Abbey game-book one is mentioned 

 as having been picked up on St. Mary's, Jan. 20th, 1881, shot 

 through the beak. In the autumn of 1903 all Swallows and 

 Martins had left St. Mary's by Oct. 20th, but on or about Nov. 

 29th they were back again in considerable numbers, and for 

 over a week the Martins were much commoner than they usually 

 are at any time during the summer. The Sand-Martin is for 

 the most part a casual bird of passage in spring and autumn, 

 but sometimes— as in 1848, 1863, 1867, 1894, and 1901— flocks 

 of several hundred birds may pause on their southward journey. 



The Greenfinch is a winter visitor, usually in small parties, 

 and sometimes singly, but occasionally, as in 1849, 1894, and 

 1904, in large flocks. The St. Mary's flock of October, 1904, 

 was over four hundred strong, and rested only two or three days, 

 though a few remained till after Christmas. In the third week 

 of April, 1903, there were about a dozen at Holy Vale, but none 

 of them remained to breed. The usual small flocks of autumn 

 and early winter generally frequent one particular spot in the 

 Tresco Gardens for some weeks at a time. The Hawfinch is an 



