Note.—Northernmost Station, Island Ghlais, 1879. Earliest record, Oct. 11th (Rhinns of Islay), 1879; latest record, Dec. 12th, 1879. So long ago as the date of the "Lays of the Deer Forest," 1848, numbers of Woodcock are recorded as settling about the lamps of the northern lighthouses, and evidence is given from Cape Wrath (loc. cit., 'Notes,' vol. ii., p. 262).
Wild Goose.—At Portpatrick, Aug. 6th, one was seen flying S.E., in light E. breeze; at the same station, Jan. 13th, ten were observed flying S., with a strong N. breeze. At Point of Ayre, Jan. 11th, about twenty were seen flying S., with light N.E. breeze. At Monach, Nov. 30th, eight were seen at 8 p.m., flying westward, and settled on some rocks off the island, wind S.E., fresh, rain; and Jan. 9th, 1881, fifteen at 9 a.m. flying northwards, wind S., light, clear. At Douglas Head, Dec. 17th, eight Geese were seen flying from E. to W. at 12 a.m., calm, clear. At Butt of Lewis, Jan. 6th, six Wild Geese at 9 a.m., light S.W. wind, clear; came to the village about a mile off, stopped two days; left, going S. At Island Ghlais, Jan. 4th, fifty Wild Geese flying S., 1 p.m.; wind N., fresh, clear. At Rhuvaal, Dec. 12th, six dozen seen, after stormy weather, in light S.W. breeze.
Note.—On Jan. 29th, 1880, four dozen, old and young, resident on Islay, were by Feb. 15th, 1880, reduced to about two dozen. It is recorded in the Wernerian Societies Memoirs, in a report from the light-keeper at Lismore lighthouse (which report was not published in full), that most birds of a flock of Brent Geese were killed against the building, and that one bird passed through quarter-inch glass "like a shot" (Mem. Wern. Soc, read Jan. 24th, 1835).
Swan, Cygnus.—At Rhu Stoir, Dec. 25th, 2 p.m., flying S.E., light N. wind, snow storm. (At Loch Inver, Jan. 1st, 1881, two seen at a loch there.) At Butt of Lewis, Jan. 16th, two, stayed four days at a village four miles off and left on 20th or 21st, flying S.; wind N.E., sleet.
Ducks, Anatidæ.—At Monach, Skerryvore and Dhuheartach. At Dhuheartach, Oct. 12th, nineteen Eiders—sixteen males and three females, noon, fresh N. wind, clear; engaged in fishing. At Monach, Oct. 27th, two flocks of Eiders, male and female, 3 p.m., wind N., cloudy; "first arrival here from breeding-grounds." At Dhuheartach, Oct. 28th, forty fishing round, light N.E. wind; Oct. 29th, the same flock. These remain all the season, usually arriving about Oct. 12th, but they do not land here; later in arrival this year.
Great Northern Diver.—At Monach, May 25th, two—male and female—Great Northern Divers seen, wind S.W., fresh, clear. These birds are seen at intervals all through the year, three being the largest number Mr. Youngclause has seen at one time; he has shot three during the last five years.
Red-throated Diver.—At Monach, May 22nd, twelve were seen feeding in pairs along the shore; wind N.W., fresh, showers.
Rock Birds, Natatores.—Razorbills, Guillemots, Puffins. In speaking of these I believe the simplest way will be to take the spring and autumn migration together, and I here simply write down the results as they appear in the schedules. Cape Wrath, April 20th, about 1000 Razorbills, 2000 Puffins, and 2000 Guillemots arrived to breed; wind S., showers. Aug. 29th, about 2000 Razorbills, 4000 Puffins, and 4000 Guillemots left; wind S.E., clear. Or in other words, about twice as many left in autumn as came in spring. "These birds have building cliffs about three miles east of the Cape. The time of the day they come is not known, nor the directions in which they come and go. They come in one night, and go in one night." At Island Ghlais, July 10th, about ninety Puffins, 4 p.m., flying S., haze, doubtless a local migration for food; July 11th, about 200 Puffins, 1 p.m., wind N., flying S.W., clear; July 22nd, numbers feeding on herring-soil in shore; Aug. 9th, numbers feeding on herring-soil in shore. At Ushenish, May 30th, numbers passing; local migration, strong S. wind. At Kyleakin, May 10th, numbers of Guillemots passing E. all day; strong E.N.E. wind. At Skervuile, July 21st to 27th, Marrots seen. Those seen at Island Ghlais are almost undoubtedly bred at the Shiant Isles (see former Report, 1879).
Note.—I have no return this year from Dunnet Head, owing to the absence of Mr. Geo. Maclachlan, the new keeper not having sent me one, which I much regret.
Gulls.—At Cape Wrath, April 12th, 300 "Sea Gulls" arrived here for breeding on the cliffs below the lighthouse, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., wind E., clear; July 12th, from 300 to 800 Sea Gulls leave and passed to W., between 3 a.m. and 10 p.m., wind E., haze and rain; April 20th, 200 Kittiwakes arrived; Aug. 29th, 600 Kittiwakes left, wind S.E., clear. At Island Ghlais, July 22nd, 500 to 600 Gulls and Kittiwakes, Puffins, &c., feeding, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; wind S., light, clear; probably from Shiant Isles. (See Mr. Anderson's notes on Gulls in Mid-Atlantic, under Thrush, antea p. 80). At Sound of Mull, Aug. 13th, 200 Kittiwakes, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., flying N.W. in flocks of twenty to thirty; light W. wind, clear. At Rhuvaal, March 1st, about four dozen, 10 a.m., S.W. wind to gale, rain and sleet; May 1st, about one dozen, 9 a.m., S.W. wind, clear; Oct. 13th, twelve, flying S., 7 a.m., variable, light, haze; Nov. 1st, Gulls (and Curlews), 9 a.m., W. wind, clear. At Skervuile, June 8th, one Black-headed Gull, 9 am., N.W. wind, light breeze, rain, "not often seen here;" July 17th, "Boatswain Bird," 10 p.m., first seen, also Kittiwakes; July 21st to 27th, "Boatswain Gulls" seen; Aug. 2nd, great numbers of ditto seen. At Corsewall, Nov. 1st, one Kittiwake seen, 9.45 p.m.; fresh E. breeze. At Stornoway, July 21st, a flock, apparently migrating, flying N., 9 p.m., light N.E. wind.