18 report on the migration of birds. 



General Remarks. 



As already mentioned, we have received fewer returns this 

 year from the East Coast than in 1879, having returns only from 

 eight stations in 1880, against thirteen in 1879. This arises 

 princi2)ally from actual scarcity of hirds at many stations, and at 

 some, from extra work devoted to duties of the reporters, owing to 

 fogs and stormy weather. This scarcity appears to have extended 

 all along our Scottish E. coast, and even showed itself for some 

 distance down the East English coast. That, at no time, can 

 our East of Scotland returns approach in magnitude those of 

 the East English coast, I fully believe, because, in the weather 

 most favourable for observation at the stations, — viz., foggy or 

 thick nights, — lanterns placed a few feet above the water, as 

 they are in lightships, must attract far more birds than higher 

 lanterns at the lighthouses. The peculiar situations also of 

 many of our Scottish stations — in the midst of towns (as at 

 Cromarty and Kinnaird Head, in Frazerburgh), in inland bays 

 and arms of the sea (as at Chanonr}^, and at many localities 

 on our west coast) — must very materially alter the con- 

 ditions of observation. At our more northern stations the 

 lighthouses for the most part stand at great elevations, and it is 

 worthy of note that from such stations as the Bell Eock, Pent- 

 land Skerries, and Whalsey Skerries, on the east coast, and 

 Dhuheartach and Skerry vore, on the west coast, &c., we have the 

 best filled schedules, showing that stations upon lower and 

 isolated elevations are the best points of observation. 



At the conclusion of my report for 1879, under the West Coast 

 stations, I take notice of the N.W. to S.E. trend of the migration 

 across Tyree and Loch Assapol in the Eoss -of Mull, and of tlie. 

 direction taken by birds across the narrow part of Scotland 

 between the Firths of Forth and Clyde {vide ' The Zoologist,' 

 May, 1880, pp. 202—204). 



My present impression — from these and many similar obser- 

 vations in Stirlingshire and the districts named — is, that a semi- 

 circular migration is probably carried on ; birds which strike our 

 coasts at more northerly points, or start from localities further 

 north in Scotland itself, at certain points trend more southerly 

 from their original E. to W. direction; and again, at certain 

 other points, again trend more easterly from their previous N. to 



I 



