142 



THE NATURALIST. 



CATALOGUE OF THE BIRDS OF SHETLAND, 

 Ey Henry L. Saxby, M.D. 

 {Continued from page 126. ) 



11. —MIGRANT NATIVES. 

 Birds of this group visit us in spring, and remain to breed ; with very- 

 few exceptions they aU retire before ^ winter. They are only seventeen in 

 number : — 



Wheatear, Sylvia cenanfhe. (Steinkle. At Baltasound, known also as 

 the Stonechat). Extremely abundant from the middle of April until the 

 middle of September. Young birds remain rather later. 



Meadow Pipit, Anthus pratensis, (Hill sparrow, Teetick.) Appears to 

 be only a summer visitor, and said to be more plentiful than formerly. 



Lapwing or Pewit, Vanellus cristatus, A regular summer visitor. 

 Some years ago this species was almost unknown here ; now, however, it is 

 very common, several colonies haying been established in this island (Unst,) 

 alone since my first visit in 1854. 



Oystercatcher, Hmmatopus ostralegus, (Shelder or Shalder). Everywhere 

 common. Arrives about the middle of March. 



Whimbrel, Numenius pliCBopus. (Tang whaap. Little whaap). Arrives 

 in small parties in May. Still rather numerous in some localities. 



Landrail or Corncrake, Gallinula crex. Abundant during the summer 

 months. 



Guillemot, Uria troile, (Longie). Probably never entirely deserts the 

 coast, although it is rarely met with in winter; re-appears near the cliffs very 

 early in spring. 



Ringed Guillemot, Uria lacrymans. By no means uncommon in sum- 

 mer, breeding both in company with, and apart, from U. troile. Almost the 

 only evidence which I have been able to collect, as to the right of this bird 

 to be considered a distinct species is contained in the Zoologist for 1864, 

 (p. 9241). See also a paper in the same periodical, by the late Mr NoUey, 

 (p. 3477). 



Puffin, Mormon fratercula, (Norie, Tammynorie). Yery numerous in 

 summer, butj^scarcely ever seen in winter. 



Razorbill, Aha torda^ (Wilcock not Willock). Still breeds in some 

 of the cliffs, but in small numbers compared with those of a few years back. 

 Specimens are occasionally obtained in winter. 



