14 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



innumerable Puffins and rock-birds arrived ; wind fresh N.W., 

 and clear. At Whalsey, March 15th, the rock-birds arrived. At 

 Sumburgh, March 4th, they arrived about 7 a.m. In autumn, 

 all left Whalsey on Aug. 28th after the fog, which had hung 

 since the 21st, cleared off. At Pentland Skerries, July 25th, a 

 flock of Guillemots seen flying E. at 7 p.m., with moderate E. 

 wind. On Aug. 4th, two flocks flying E. between 3 and 4 p.m., 

 with light S. wind ; and on Aug. 25th, three flocks seen flying E. 

 between 5 and 8 p.m., with light S.W. airs. 



Note. — Mr. M. Vaughan — to whom I am indebted for supple- 

 mentary notes — writes that Eock-birds, Gannets, and Cormorants 

 were scarcer than usual in Orkney during the first week in 

 August. Ihave no return this year from Dunnet Head, but Mr. 

 Geo. Maclachlan, says, " There are over 3000 Guillemots hatched 

 here, and I am able to count (say) 175 in 350." At the Isle of 

 May, Eiders arrived about Oct. 1st, coming, it is believed, to 

 winter from the Isle of May and Fidra. They remain till end 

 of March. 



Gulls. — At Sumburgh Head, Oct. 23rd, one Iceland Gull seen 

 at 8 a.m. ; wind N.W., with showers. This is the first seen. 

 They come in October and leave in April. At same station, Nov. 

 22nd, another Iceland Gull at 10 a.m. ; wind fresh S.W., and 

 clear. At Tarbat Ness, Dec. 24th, two ('' Iceland Gulls ") at 

 11 a.m. ; wind light N.E., and sleet. 



Note. — These ''Iceland Gulls" maybe true Lams islandicus 

 or Iceland Gull vera, but more probably are Glaucous Gulls 

 {Larus glaiicus). The incident below related is confirmed by a 

 letter received from Mr. Jack, the head light-keeper at the Bell 

 Kock lighthouse : — '* Arbroath : A Fact for Naturalists. — Our 

 Arbroath correspondent writes : — A curious story of a sea-bird is 

 in circulation here, and I send it you, as it has been related to me 

 on what seems fairly good authority. The other day a white Sea 

 Gull of the Kittiwake variety was seen flying about the signal- 

 tower of the Bell Kock lighthouse. The bird was evidently in 

 distress, and one of the lighthouse-keepers opening a window, held 

 out his hands, when it came to him. The bird, in taking a bait 

 fixed to a line, had swallowed the hook, and the line, with its 

 handle, a stick about a foot long, was dependent from the bird's 

 mouth. The light-keeper cut away the string as far down the 

 bird's throat as he could reach, and the bird flew away evidently 



