24 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS 



well as any method, the distribution and arrivals on our East 

 Coast.* 



In summer, at I. of May one record of Swallow on 12th July, 

 variable, light, clear ; and one record of Sand Martin at I. of May 

 on 18th July, fresh W. and clear. Note. — Summer records of 

 Swallows usually occur in clear weather ; compare with previous 

 reports. 



In autumn, in August two records at the more northerly 

 stations, viz. Pentland Skerries, on 11th Aug., six birds, with 

 fresh S., haze, and at Dunnet Head, on 16th of four birds flying 

 E., with S.E. and fog. In September, Swallows left Cromarty, 

 and were not seen after the 4th, at 1 p.m., wind light S.W., clear ; 

 all congregated on a housetop near the Lighthouse, and left 

 suddenly at 1 o'clock. At Isle of May a few were observed on 

 two or three dates in October, and on the 28th (Sunday) twenty 

 were seen at 9 a.m. flying up and down the lee-side of the island 

 hawking for flies ; light S.W., clear. 



Land Notes. — Without receiving any more returns from any 

 East-Coast station, I myself observed a Swallow (Hirundo 

 rustica) hawking persistently for flies over and across the lawn at 

 Glendoune House, near Girvan, Ayrshire, on Nov. 8th (see West 

 Coast Keport). At Kothesay, Mr. John Grieve saw none during 

 a stay there till 15th, when twenty or thirty were seen. None 

 seen by him at Bridge of Allan after his return there on the 

 1st October. 



FringillidjE. — As in 1883, both in spring and autumn, 

 Finches show themselves well to the front in migration; but 

 while in some years Thrushes and Finches travel much together; 

 in this year, whilst still many travelled simultaneously, as a 

 glance at our data shows, yet the great rush of Thrushes did not 

 take place till the rush of Finches was over. Thus, as will be 

 seen, Green Linnets made a rush over in spring as early as 10th 



* It may not have been apparent to the^readers of our previous and this 

 Report that, in order to arrive at final conclusions, after our collection of 

 data is considered large enough, a certain amount of formal sameness and 

 method of recording has been followed by the Committee throughout. This 

 is for the final development of a system of easy tabulation at the end when 

 all our data, year with year, come to be compared and deductions drawn. ' 

 Our Irish members of Committee have departed somewhat fro.ni this plan of 

 work, but there seems no reason apparent why their results need not with 

 equal ease be made workable into the final form of reduction. 



