4 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



quested, to movements of Solan Geese, which are sure to yield, 

 some day, valuable information. 



Sumburgh Head. — Mr James Youngclause. — A very short 

 single schedule. Birds very scarce. Greenfinch found dead on 

 9th December. Mentions residents there, which may yet be 

 utilised for minute records of distribution. Arrival and de- 

 parture of rock birds — not one seen after the 12th August. 

 No " rushes " of birds seen. (Assistant's name, Donald Camp- 

 bell.) 



North Ronaldshay. — John Tulloch. — Great numbers of Gulls 

 on the Island all winter, living mostly in the turnip fields. 

 "There are 100's (sic) to be seen in a field at times, feeding. 

 They will hollow the turnip, leaving the outside skin only. 

 The only way to keep them away is to shoot some, and hang 

 them up on poles." 



Pentland Skerries. — John Gil m our (assistant keeper — not 

 " principal," as in last Eeport). 



The Crossbill occurs (see letter of 2d August 1887, and 

 schedule under date — 22d July being date of occurrence). — 

 "There were three of them on the island, and they remained over 

 a week. This is in no mistake a rare bird here, and I have 

 never seen it before." 



" A Game Hawk was on the island a good part of the 

 summer, and made sad havoc among the Terns" (schedule, 10th 

 August 1887). This may partially account for the shifting of 

 nesting sites of the Terns so frequently, to which we allude else- 

 where (" Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides," in the press. 

 David Douglas). 



[Two of the schedules refer entirely to Solan Geese, as re- 

 quested. These from the various stations should be separately 

 considered and reported upon in the final digest. — J. A. H.-B.] 

 They bulk about the Pentland Firth largest in August; and 

 only stragglers are seen by 1st October (see letter). No great 

 movement to date of 1st October of other birds, except. the last 

 two days, 29th and 30th September. Eush shortly at date 

 expected — (see schedules). Mr John Gilmour, under date of 

 5th November, sends wings and feet of a Yellow Bunting. 

 It was shot on the 2d November. He goes on to say — "we 

 had not many birds here during October, as compared with 

 what I have seen in former years ; the wind was never in the 



