Hoy Sound.—(55 and 115). Low, white, fixed, facing N. High ditto; red and white sectors, fixed. V.
Cantick Head.—115 feet; white, revolving every minute.
Holborn Head.—75 feet; white and red flash, 10 seconds, facing N. V.
Tarbat Ness.—175 feet; white intermittent, 2½ minutes. It is not quite clear to me yet why this station should not yield returns (see [map]), unless it be considered partially land-locked from E. and S.E.
Buchan Ness.—130 feet; white flash, every 5 seconds; and close to fishing village.
Montroseness.—124 feet; white, fixed; but amongst houses. V.
We think the above analysis places almost beyond doubt that the best position for a lights to attract birds is in a light ship (witness the E. English Coast returns); next, an island of low elevation; next, an island of considerable elevation, if facing east, not if facing north; and that the worst are those at high elevations, and especially if facing otherwise than E., on the East Coast, or on East Coast Islands, or those in midst of towns, or in land-locked situations; that the best description of light is "white, fixed,"—in fact, the brightest. Thus in many instances we consider that it is owing to position and nature of lights to a very considerable extent that we receive more schedules from some stations than others, and none at all from the least likely, whereas on the English East Coast all light-ships are almost equally good as regards position.
Yet we do not allow that this is entirely the cause of least and greatest migration at different points, because we now know well enough, from land data, that certain tracks are preferred to others, and that these tracks over land have very strong connection with the East Coast Scotch principal stations, as we think our Reports will show.
As regards the influences of winds, &c., sufficient has already been said on this head throughout the Reports, and every succeeding schedule goes to prove our previous ones.
Analyses of the West Coast schedules almost always show much lighter returns than those from the East Coast, even from the best West Coast stations. Our previous five years' experience in great measure explains why it is so, and it seems natural to expect lighter returns on the West than on the East in most winds or weather. But, having regard to the said experience and the facts of migration which may now be said to be ascertained and certain, there are also one or two additional causes for the light nature of West Coast returns as against East Coast ones; while on the latter, the lights which give the greatest illumination, if in other respects suitably exposed, give the heaviest returns; on the former, it seems that the positions of the various stations have more to do with these. Thus most of the East Coast stations face the east, whence come the birds naturally, and while on the west birds travel from N.W. towards S. or S.E., the extraordinary variety of situations, and the equally great—or nearly so—variety of lights of no great power and brilliancy, must undoubtedly influence the quantities of birds visible on migration. And we find that while such stations as Kyleakin (white and red, fixed), Isle Ornsay (white, fixed), Sound of Mull (red, green, and white sectors), Corran Ferry (red and white sectors, fixed), &c., give small returns, or none at all, this is resultant upon their positions even more than their brilliancy or absence of brilliancy. And we find that the best situated stations, such as Monach Isle (though only upper white flash, and lower, red fixed) gives better, though uncertain, returns, and Skerryvore (white revolving) and Dhuheartach (white and red sector, fixed), and Rhinns of Islay (white flash every five seconds) seem to be the surest stations north of Clyde. Indeed it is, perhaps, almost certain that most of the land-locked stations of the West Coast should be marked with the symbol of lowest value, V. South of Clyde, undoubtedly, we get more into the great groove of migration which crosses Scotland from the Firth of Forth, and if not yet so heavy as, for instance, at the Bell Rock, Isle of May, in all the years till 1884, yet we have more decided indications of rushes and throbs keeping time with the East Coast movements. When to this we add a less indented coast line, open lights, and, on the whole, greater power and brilliancy, we expect to find all the conditions more favourable. That this is the case our schedules for 1884 show decidedly, and even swamp the East Coast returns for the first time in our experience. When we come to the Isle of Man, where the Irish Channel contracts considerably, we again find heavy rushes of birds, equalling or exceeding those at such stations as Skerryvore and Dhuheartach and Rhinns of Islay. Of these Langness sends the heaviest returns, but we have there now a trained reporter, Mr. Robert Clyne, who was previously under Mr. Agnew at the Isle of May. Mr. Clyne's eager application to the subject now stands us in good stead.