Terns.—At Monach, Aug. 15th to 20th, great flocks were congregating previous to departure; winds light, clear; and by 20th all were gone, except a few detained by late young ones (see spring migration, under Tern). They are also reported to have left the neighbourhood of Stornoway lighthouse by Aug. 15th. On Aug. 26th, sixteen "Sea Swallows" arrived at Bahama light-vessel, at 2.20 p.m., in hazy weather; wind light S.E. by E.
Gannet, Sula bassana.—In the same way I give the data as shown in the schedules. At Cape Wrath, April 14th, 800 to 900 flying E., for breeding at Souliskerry, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; wind E., clear. At Douglas Head, April 18th, one, light N.E. wind, clear; July 14th to Aug. 28th, 60 to 900 daily, flying W., 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Note.—I am informed by Mr. Gray that Mr. Anderson traced the Gannet as far south as the latitude of South Spain, where one day the ship passed through acres of them; they seemed dead beat, as if after a toilsome flight during a succession of autumn gales. At Rhu Stoir, July 1st to Aug. 31st, large flocks going N. daily along the coast, largest numbers about end of July; generally passing between 7 and 9 p.m.; none seen going south. At Butt of Lewis, April 13th, three Solan Geese seen, 9 a.m., the first seen; May 20th to Sept. 15th, increased daily till May 20th, and then on till middle of September, it would be impossible to count them from dawn till dusk: they passed in long strings of fifty to sixty in a flock at not more than a quarter of hour's interval between the flocks; they all flew west. A number (about one-fifth of the whole) fly east, and take no notice of the others in their flight; these are single birds: not one seen after Oct. 15th. At Island Ghlais, July 12th, 150 Solan Geese "flying S. and N.," 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., light airs, W., clear; July 13th, 200 "flying S. and N.," 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., fresh N. wind; July 15th to 31st, 1600 to 2000 flying both N. and S., variable; daily average about 100. (Note.—The expression "flying S. and N." probably means from S. to N.) At Skervuile, March 1st, at 8 a.m., S.W. gale, rain and sleet; Oct. 26th, last seen 10 a.m., fresh N.E. wind, clear. At Lochindaul, May 14th, one seen fishing, wind E., clear, dry.
Cormorants.—At Cape Wrath, April 16th, thirty "Scarts" arrived, 10 a.m., E. wind, showers. At Stornoway, Sept. 14th, seven flying S.W. at noon, light S.W. wind, clear; Sept. 21st, flock of ditto at 2 p.m., light W. wind, flying S.W., raining; Oct. 26th, flock of ditto flying W., 11 a.m., N. gale, snow; Dec. 24th, flock of ditto flying S.E., N. wind, fresh, snow. The above probably refer to local migrations.
Unidentified.—At Portpatrick, between Oct. 7th and 28th, a migration appears to have gone on at intervals of small birds: thus on the 7th "flocks of small birds," at 7 a.m., strong N.E. breeze, clear, flying S.W.; the same on the 14th, flying S.W., in light easterly wind, and clear; the same on the 15th, flying W., in light S. winds, clear; the same on the 28th, light N.E. wind, hazy, direction and flight not noted. Again, flocks of small birds on Dec. 25th, at the same station, flying E., were observed, in strong N. breeze; and flocks flew round all day on 26th, in light E. wind, and clear. In August, on the 25th, at 5.45 p.m., fifty-two (species unknown) seen flying S.S.W., at Bahama L.V., light E. by S. wind.
General Remarks.
In our general remarks, in 1879, we took notice of the scarcity of birds at many important stations, such as the Butt of Lewis, Monach Island, &c. This season shows a considerable increase upon last year's returns, and the horizontal lines of migration—or rays of the fan—seem to have spread out wider and reached farther north in 1880 than in 1879; and this increase of observations on the west coast, be it noted, is irrespective, apparently, of the scarcity upon our Scottish east coast. We also receive accounts of immense numbers of birds being seen this season in Mid-Atlantic, the dates of their appearance there agreeing very accurately with dates of observations at the land stations. In the 1879 migration the scarcity was accounted for by the prevalence of N.W. winds deflecting the lines, and passing down upon the right shoulders (so to speak) of the passing birds.[19]
[19] Even the strong-winged Wild Geese and Swans are observed when flying well up in the wind to drift to one side a little, having the appearance of flying left-shoulder first instead of head first.
This year the prevailing winds and gales were from east and north-east, and while these winds do not appear to have compressed the horizontal lines so much as the north-westerly did in 1879 the birds appear to have passed at greater elevations, and been borne away in the gales far out to sea. The migration does not appear to have come in such great throbs or rushes in 1880 as in 1879, but to have been more dispersed and more regular; this, no doubt, is a natural consequence of the waves being more spread out in 1880 than in 1879. The great easterly gales continuing for weeks together over the Atlantic and North of Europe, so disastrous to our shipping, undoubtedly carried many migrants far to the westward, and the mortality amongst them must have been very great indeed, if we judge from the few records that have reached us from sea-going vessels. These easterly gales also have, no doubt, affected the direction of the migration to a considerable extent, and indications of its agency may be found in the occurrence on our shores of certain wanderers from foreign lands, such as the Esquimaux Curlew, on September 21st, in Kincardineshire (vide Zool., 1880, p. 485); a Red-legged Hobby, on September 20th; a Turtle Dove in Kincardineshire; and Great Snipes, Great Grey Shrikes,[20] &c., about the same dates (loc. cit.). These gales may be said to have continued almost without cessation during the whole migrating season, all through September, October, November, and December. In November a new bird to our British list occurred,—the Desert Wheatear, Saxicola deserti, Ruppell,—as will be found duly recorded by Mr. John James Dalgleish.[21] It was obtained near Alloa on November 26th. Its native haunts are far to the southward and eastward, and in North Africa, Egypt, Persia and India.
[20] Unusually abundant in Heligoland.
[21] Proc. Ryl. Phyl. Soc. Edin., 1880-81, vol. vi., p. 64.