August.—26th, at Pentland Skerries, five or six at noon.
N.B.—September.—27th, Eider Duck at N. Ronaldshay, arrived; old and young stay all winter. Again on 11th, at Pentland Skerries, Eider Ducks appeared in a flock swimming round island—N.W., clear; and on the 14th—same station—"Teal or Widgeon" [probably Teal.—J. A. H.-B.] arose off a loch.
October.—A "dark-coloured Duck" seen at Noss Head (?)—wind N.N.E., and sleet; and "Wild Geese" in a string on 17th flying N. at noon past Inchkeith in the Firth of Forth.
November.—A few single records, 2d, 3d, 21st, and 23d, at N. Unst. Wind in order, S.E. gale. Do., E. breeze, S.S.W. breeze.
Columbidæ.—September.—"Common Pigeon" on 3d at Bell Rock; E., fresh breeze. [Was this a "Dooket Doo" frae Fife?—J. A. H.-B.]
Procellariidæ.—August.—A "rush" of Petrels at N. Unst at the glass [or only perhaps the local birds lured to the glass by special atmospheric causes. The Storm Petrel winters at N. Unst in their burrows there, and may be said never to be absent from the neighbourhood.—J. A. H.-B.] There seems to have been, however, unusually large movements of the Petrels, and W. Nichol remarked upon it in one of his letters. Also in September, and less so in October.
Rallidæ.—Corn Crake.—May.—10th, at N. Ronaldshay, heard for the first time this year, and at Pentland Skerries on 16th, "arrived three days earlier than usual!"
September.—21st, one at Pentland Skerries, 3 P.M.; light N.W., cloudy.
Charadriidæ.—There is really little to be learned from the accounts of movements of this family. Oyster-Catchers are always locally present, so almost are Golden Plover.
Entries of Plovers and even of Oyster-Catchers are very few and far between, and the records of Lapwings add little to our data. Ringed Plover receive a few notices.