18 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



prevailing N. and W., and scarcely ever S. and E. Stations 

 sending returns of Thrushes are N. Unst, Pentland Skerries, 

 Dunnet Head, Bell Rock, and I. of May. At the dates of the 

 rushes they were accompanied by many other species. The rush 

 at I. of May on 4th and 5th continued in great force after the wind 

 shifted to S.E., with rain, after wind S. at noon, on 4th (" per- 

 fect weather for witnessing migration"), so fewer Fieldfares again 

 on 5th, with wind — a W. gale, instancing the abruptness with 

 which migration ceased owing to changes in the wind. A vast 

 rush of Blackbirds, females predominating, on 12th, at I. of May, 

 with S. haze and drizzle, but ceased utterly with change of wind 

 to W. at 9 p.m. All birds striking on S.E. side, with the wind. 

 Along with this rush came large numbers of Redwings and Field- 

 fares, Hooded Crows, one Yellow Bunting, large number of Larks, 

 Robins, Bramblings, Chaffinches, eight Hedgesparrows, a few 

 House Sparrows, two Woodcocks (shot). On the 15th Blackbirds 

 as numerous as ever, but fewer Redwings and Fieldfares ; 

 hundreds of Snow Buntings, flying N. By the 17th Blackbirds 

 were mostly males, but females had predominated up to that date. 

 In January, 1885, between 4th and 21st, a few light records of 

 Fieldfares and Thrushes, and a large number (rush ?) on latter 

 date. The rush on Nov. 4th consisted of Siskins and other 

 Frinf/illidce (these continuing in small numbers to the 6th, not- 

 withstanding the change of wind). Mr. Agnew describes this as 

 the largest rush of migrants this season at the I. of May, and it 

 must have been very vast, close, and determined, when even on 

 the 6th, with light W. wind, large numbers of Bramblings and 

 Chaffinches still appeared. Other species participating besides 

 the above were Siskins, Woodcocks (six killed), Rock Pipits, one 

 Owl, two Falcons. (See notes upon weather under " Notes under 

 Stations." We refer back to this account under other species, 

 to dates). 



Saxicolin.e. — Wheatears in considerable numbers at Pent- 

 land Skerries and Isle of May (a rusli). Earliest at Isle of May 

 March 26th, light S., two ; and a few more on 28th at same 

 station, including two old males. Rush with S-.E. to S.W. wind 

 at Pentland Skerries, on April 6th, and considerable numbers at 

 I. of May on April 3rd. Beyond these there are no other spring 

 records of this species. On March 31st a single Black Redstart 

 (in in us. Feilden & Ilarvie Brown) is recorded from Pentland 



