58 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



station. I notice a visible decrease annually in the numbers 

 of both land and sea birds, a decrease attributed to the island 

 not being so quiet as it was some years ago, before the light- 

 house was built, when the birds had the island all to themselves, 

 and there was no one residing on it, but was only used by the 

 natives for grazing purposes. Now the keepers and their families 

 going round the island, the small birds are disturbed at the period 

 of incubation. 



" In January and February a few Terns, Snow Buntings, 

 Twites, and Eock Pipits struck the lantern, the wind being 

 south. Of sea birds during those months I observed a few 

 Solan Geese, Scarts, Kittiwakes, Eider Ducks, Teal Ducks, etc. ; 

 but as the breeding season came on they left. 



" In March a pair of Shielducks visited the island, and after 

 remaining a few days, left, returning again in April (presumably 

 the same pair), and after nesting and having two young ones, 

 the four left in August. No Teal nor Eiders bred here this 

 season. 



" In June a large flock of Pictarnies, a few Stonechicks, 

 Eingnecks (?), Sand Larks, and Twites came to the island (but 

 not in such large numbers as in former seasons). Wind from 

 south to west. They left with their young in August, the few 

 I saw leaving flying in a north-easterly direction." [This is 

 somewhat contrary to experiences, and no doubt is due to local 

 peculiarities of the configuration of the Outer Hebrides and land 

 communications with the mainland, but our data appear too 

 scanty to explain this. In this case "the few Mr Georgeson saw 

 flying in a N.E. direction," was with a wind from south to west. 

 Possibly they do this to catch up the Skye coast, or sooner 

 reach the shelter of the east coast of the Outer Hebrides. — 

 J. A. H.-B.] " In June also a pair of Tysties," continues Mr 

 Georgeson, " came to the island, and left with the young in 

 August. 



" On the 2d September, wind N.E., all the Pictarnies left the 

 island, flying in a northerly direction." [This again almost 

 seems to indicate a movement towards the north first, before 

 returning south or in a south-easterly direction. Future careful 

 reports on directions of flight here and of winds at the time can 

 scarcely fail to prove of interest. — J. A. H.-B.] " On the 4th 

 of September four Eavens — a male and female with their two 



