Transcriber Note: Table of Contents was added for assistance to the reader.
PREFACE.
The following Report contains a Summary of the investigations of a Committee appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Swansea in 1880, an Abstract of which will be presented to the Association at its next Meeting.
The Returns relating to Scotland have been arranged by Mr. Harvie-Brown; those for the East Coast of England, by Mr. Cordeaux; and the West Coast of England, by Mr. Philip Kermode.
REPORT
ON THE
MIGRATION OF BIRDS
IN THE
SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1880.
"I am fixing correspondents in every corner of these northern regions, like so many pickets and outposts; so that scarcely a Wren or a Tit shall be able to pass from York to Canada but I shall get intelligence of it."—Alexander Wilson, in 1808. (Vide Constable's Edition, 1831, p. xlix.)
EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND.
Iceland and Faroe.—Schedules, letters of instruction, and additional remarks were forwarded through Mr. Alexander Buchan (Secretary, Scottish Meteorological Society, Edinburgh), to three stations, two of which, Stykkisholm and Reykavik, are in Iceland, and one at Thorshavn in Faroe. A fourth more northern station is secured at Fair Island for 1881, Mr. William Lawrence having kindly undertaken the work.[1] Our Faroe station has failed us this year, but we hope better things from it next.
[1] At a later date I received a letter (dated 17th March) from Mr. Lawrence, containing a few items of interest. During the week previous, "A number of Swans took shelter at Fair Isle, and a large flock of common Black Crows, with a few Jackdaws amongst them. The Hooded Crow is the common one here, and we never have the Black Crow here unless after, or during, gales of wind. Puffins and Guillemots arrived somewhat later this season, and a large increase appeared in the number of Gulls. Lapwings appeared, and one Coot was caught in a very disabled condition. Large flocks of Snowbirds are seen here. They came very early in winter, but disappeared again till now, when they have returned. A large flock of Wild Geese arrived here on the 14th inst. We do not often see them here. Four Swans were caught; the largest weighed twenty pounds, and the others from that down to sixteen pounds."
Printed schedules, letters of instructions, and additional remarks were forwarded to twenty-six stations on the East Coast of Scotland and the Shetland and Orkney Islands, making, with the Iceland and Faroe stations, thirty-nine in all for 1880. With Fair Isle for 1881 we shall have forty stations.