64 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



are none the less due, however, to Mr. Ritson, of Cronicarty, and 

 to Mr. McGill, of Chanonry, as then* notes will, without doubt, 

 prove of value if continued, and will assist us in arriving 

 at conclusions regarding more local movements of birds, de- 

 pendent uj)on food and shelter, which may prove none the less 

 interesting because of their connection with landlocked positions. 

 The absence of returns from this great stretch of coast-line is 

 much to be deplored, and at present I am perfectly unable to 

 state whether it is due entirely to absence of birds at all these 

 stations every season, which, however, I can hardly think is the 

 case, or if it is lack of interest at some of these stations. If the 

 latter, we can only say we regret that we have failed to arouse 

 sufficient interest in our subject. I cannot pass over this with- 

 out the one further remark, that if the lighthouse-keepers at 

 these stations would only return the schedules, with even a 

 negative statement, every yeai\ it would facilitate our work. The 

 absolute knowledge^ that year after year no birds are seen at these 

 stations^ ivould be as valuable to us as positive data. By a chance 

 visit to Buchan Ness — one of these stations — on the Aberdeen- 

 shire coast, I learned that a Manx Shearwater was once captured 

 at the lights, and saw the specimen, and thus it was added to the 

 Aberdeenshire fauna, besides being an extremely rare visitant to 

 any portion of the E. coast. Had this been returned in a 

 schedule, I would have been doubly grateful for dates and circum- 

 stances of the occurrence at the time. While I am on the 

 subject of addressing our reporters let me once more earnestly 

 request them, in every case ivhere "possible, to state the directions in 

 which migratory flocks of birds are seen flying. This ivould greatly 

 facilitate our deductions from year to year ; and especially ivould I 

 ask attention to this at all the more northerly stations, and all the 

 west coast stations. 



Perhaps not the least remarkable migration was that of 

 Regidus cristatus (the Golden-crested Wren), extending in one 

 broad wave from Faroe southward along the whole coast, coming 

 with S. to S.E. to E. winds, reaching the Scottish stations by 

 Aug. 27th, and continuing to November 12th, but apparently not 

 reaching Faroe till Oct. 21st, when a great rush took place. It 

 is worthy of remark also that they were unusually abundant at 

 Isle of May in spring, a rush taking place in March, and 

 of females on March 10th. The stream in autumn, on the 



