REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 163 



numbers this year.t At Sumburgli Head the appearance of 

 a White-tailed Eagle is recorded, but is only of local interest, 

 as these birds are known to breed near that station. That a 

 migration, however, does take place amongst Eagles, and mostly 

 of this species, is undoubted. Mr. D. Dewar, an experienced 

 ornithologist, writes me : — '* Every winter, for this longtime back, 

 when we have a strong east wind in November, Eagles and Bough- 

 legged Buzzards appear over Loch Tay. In November, this j^ear, 

 I saw four Eagles together, all White -tailed, and three Kough- 

 legged Buzzards along with them." 



Swift, Cypselus apus. — Only one at Sumburgh Head on 

 May 25th, doubtless on the spring migration. Two were seen at 

 10 a.m., wind light S.W., breeze and haze. " Swifts, however, do 

 not breed in Shetland " (vide Saxby's * Birds of Shetland,' p. 147). 



Swallow, Hirimdo rustica. — I have returns from four stations, 

 Sumburgh Head, Auskerry, Tarbet Ness, and Isle of May. At 

 the northernmost station (Sumburgh Head) " a number were seen 

 flying about," at 11 am., wind at W.S.W., fresh and hazy. But 

 this record was on June 12th, so probably refers to the spring 

 migration. Their earliest appearance noted is August 21st, when 

 four struck at Auskerry at 1 a.m., wind S.E., strong with fog; the 

 latest Oct. 27th, when two were killed at Tarbet Ness at 7.10 p.m., 

 wind N.W., light with fog. This shows migration between Aug. 

 21st and Oct. 27th. A ''rush" appears to have taken place at 

 the Isle of May on Sept. 19th, at 2 a.m., wind light E. with fog, 

 when a flock of young birds was seen and four of them were 

 wounded against the glass. Swallows migrate in August and 

 September with an E. to S.E. wind, light to strong. In October 

 my only record at Tarbet Ness gives wind N.W., light with fog. 

 When the wind has been N.W., S.E. or E. there has been fog; 

 when, in summer, at Sumburgh Head, W.S.W., there has been 

 haze and rain. The last Swallow was seen in Berwicksliire by 

 Mr. J. Hardy on the 30th Sept. 1879. 



Martin, Hirundo urbica. — From Pentland Skerries one record 

 in which this species is distinguished from the Swallow. On 

 August 25th one struck at 2.30 p.m. during a light W. wind 

 with haze. The last was seen in Berwickshire by Mr. J. Hardy 

 on the 3rd October, 1879. 



t I have referred more fully to this in my "Report on Scottish Ornithology" for 

 the Nat. Hist. Soc. of Glasgow for 1879-80,— J. A, H,-B, 



