EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND. ara 
Isle of May.—J. Agnew (principal), Messrs Young and 
_ Anderson (assistants), send twenty full schedules, indicating a 
very heavy migration, past this favoured isle. At present a 
staff of men are busy putting in electric light machinery here. 
It will be curious to watch the result next season. 
New occurrences continually turn up at Isle of May, and this 
year we have to record amongst rarities and acquisitions the 
Common Dotterel (Hndromias morinellus, L.), the Red Backed 
Shrike (Lanius collurio), and Ortolan Bunting (Lmberiza hortu- 
lana)—two specimens obtained. Also Turtle Dove (Columba 
turtur, L.)—one shot ; and the Dipper was obtained for the first 
time, though it had been seen before, as stated in previous 
reports. It proved to be the British form. Specimens of these 
are added to the collection at Isle of May. We gave earlier 
notice of the first three above enumerated, in the Proceed- 
ings of the Royal Physical Society, Edinburgh, as we belong to 
that class of naturalists who do not believe in withholding facts 
until they become rusty. To do so may be useful for selfish 
motives and personal kudos, but is not calculated to promote 
further study, and is, indeed, calculated to delay it. 
Continuous E. winds at the beginning of May caused a vast 
rush on 2d to 4th May of many species. Mr Agnew writes: 
“The long tact of S.E. wind has brought an extraordinary 
‘rush’ of birds to the island yesterday (on the 3d) and to-day ; 
the night of the 2d, and all day of the 3d, was constant rain 
and fog. For a day or two previous to the 3d, we had a few 
birds, and some strangers; but they were only the heralds of 
the great army. I have seen something like it in the ‘ fall, but 
never in the spring. These last two days we have ‘birds; 
birds everywhere. I think I have identified them all, ex- 
cept the three mentioned inside. If you had been here to-day, 
what a bag you would have made.”’—Signed J. A., 4th May 
1885. 
In the schedule Mr Agnew says :— 
“3d May.—An extraordinary rush of migrants to-day ; never 
seen anything like itn spring. To attempt to give numbers is 
simply useless. I will just give you the names in succession. 
I can’t spare a line for each.—Fieldfares, Redwings, Ring Ouzels, 
Blackbirds, Lapwings, Dotterels, Rock Pigeons, Hawk, Meadow 
Pipits, Redstarts, Whinchats, Tree Sparrows, Yellow Wagtails, 
B 
