24 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



For comparison we here give a table similar to that in last 

 report (p. 33). 



Curlew, 

 Woodcock, 

 Snipe, 

 Jacksnipe, 



The stations returning in the order of heaviest schedules are — 



1886. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. 1887. Totals. 



1886. July. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



Oct. 



Nov. 



Dec. 



Jan. 1887 



Entries— 3 



5 



T 

 i 



3 







5 



















14 



3 



















1 



1 



2 



2 



1 











1 



1 















Pentland Skerries 

 Isle of May, 

 N. Unst, . 

 Girdleness, . 

 N. Ronaldshay, 

 Dunnet Head, 

 Fidra, 



Per Month 



324447 24 



00080 8 



2 1100 4 



12 3 



2 (curlew) 2 



00000 1 1 



1 (curlew) 1 



6 7 15 4 7 1 43 



Thus it will be seen that the comparative strength of the 

 waves are approximately given from each station, Pentland 

 Skerries leading with twenty-four, and Isle of May following 

 with eight, etc. ; also, the totals under each month show the rush 

 to have been distinctly in October with fifteen, 1 September and 

 December each with seven. This same system, carried out for 

 each species of bird, appears to us to suggest a pretty fair way 

 of reducing our light reports to system ; and further tabular 

 comparison is also suggested as to duration of migration, and 

 weather notes in last report, p. 34, which need not be repeated 

 here at present. 



Of Eedshanks, Sandpipers, Dunlins, there are very few 

 returns ; and only one Dunlin at Pentland Skerries, where they 

 breed, on 27th April. Eedshanks appeared at N. Eonaldshay 

 on 12th August. Numbers towards end of September at Pent- 

 land Skerries ; a few in October, with a number of Purple 

 Sandpipers. A Common Sandpiper at N. Unst on 23d October. 

 Eedshanks on 3d December at Pentland Skerries, and number 

 of Purple Sandpipers all day. on 19th December. 



Larid^e. — Gulls, Terns, Skuas, etc., Kittiwake, Lesser Tern, 

 " Dirty Allen," Black Backed Gull. — The same remarks hold 

 good under Gulls of sorts. The spring and summer records are 



1 This is borne out almost with all species this season. A concentrated rush 

 in October. 



