EEPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 167 



Lapwing, Vanellus cristatus. — Reported to have left the 

 vicinity of Hoy Sound in the third week of September. At 

 Auskerry thirty or forty were seen about 3 p.m. on Sept. 11th, wind 

 light W. and haze, and at Tarbet Ness a large flock was seen at 

 11 a.m., when the wind was N.W., light and haze on Oct. 12th. 



Plover, Charadriiis pluvialis. — At Pentland Skerries a flock 

 was seen at 1.15 a.m. on Sept. 3rd, wind S.W., almost calm, with 

 fog, and another flock at 2 p.m. on Dec. 7th, wind N.W. and clear. 

 These represent earliest and latest dates. At Dunnet Head about 

 IGO Plovers passed with S.E. wind and rain. At Tarbet Ness a 

 large flock seen at 4 p.m., wind N.W., fresh and haze on Oct. 12th. 

 Plovers remained unusually late on the high hills of Perthshire 

 this autumn. On Oct. 15tli I saw three on the hills around 

 Glen Qaeich, and two flocks on the 16th. On the 14th was a 

 snowstorm and ice a quarter of an inch in thickness on hill 

 puddles. 



Heron, Ardea cinerea. — At Girdleness on October 23rd two 

 Herons were seen at 3.30 p.m., wind S.W., clear. 



Curlew, Niimenius arquata. — Onl}^ three records, one of which 

 no doubt refers to local migration or to late spring or summer. 

 On June 29th a flock was seen at Pentland Skerries at 7.40 p.m. 

 At Sumburgh Head, on July 30th, "a number crying very loud" 

 were heard about 11 a.m., wind W.S.W. (gale on Aug. 1st), with 

 haze and rain. At Pentland Skerries, on Dec. 11th, a flock was 

 noted at 7.40 j).m. during light W. wind and clear. Did the migra- 

 tion last from July 30th to Dec. 11th ? Curlews appear to migrate 

 from early dawn to dusk, as far as records show. These birds were 

 nearly a month late in arriving on our coast in Stirlingshire. 



Sandpiper (sp. ?). — At Pentland Skerries three struck and 

 were killed ; wind strong S.W. and haze. 



Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola. — The most northerly station 

 was North Ronaldshay. Thence southward, but nowhere in large 

 numbers, seen or struck at Auskerry, Pentland Skerries, Dunnet 

 Head, Tarbet Ness, Girdleness, and Isle of May. The largest 

 number seen at any station at the same time being five at Tarbet 

 Ness on December 3rd. A single bird is noted at Dunnet Head 

 as early as Sept. 17th. None again till Oct. 15th, when one was 

 killed at North Ronaldshay at 9 p.m., wind N.E., moderate, with 

 sleet. The latest recorded was Dec. 3rd, when, as related above, 

 five were seen at Tarbet Ness at 11.30 a.m., wind strong W., with 



