Report on the Migration of Birds in the Spring and Autumn of 1885. Seventh Report / (Vol. II No. 2) - William Eagle Clarke; J. A. Harvie-Brown; Richard Manliffe Barrington; John Cordeaux; Alexander Goodman More

6.		July.	Aug.	Sept.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.
	XIV.	6	6	8	6	9	2	...	37
	XXVII.	3	...	2	6	5	6	2	24
	VIII.	...	...	...	1	2	...	...	3
	X.	...	...	...	5†	...	...	...	5
	XV.	...	...	...	...	...	1	...	1
	XXVI.	...	...	...	...	2	1	...	3

† Some woodcock.

The records of VIII., X., and XV. refer entirely to Woodcock. The above tables we use in this place, as possibly affording a guide for future work in reducing our past seven reports to system. Under Table I. gives the time of year and comparative abundance of birds in each month. Table II. to V., comparative numbers of each species in each month. Table VI. gives relative faunal value of each station in each month. When decided "rushes" are noted, the word can be written in under the number of entries. Earliest and latest records may be given in footnotes to Table VI., or thus:—

Curlew	Earliest,	3d July, at	XIV.	Latest,	Dec. 6th, at XIV.
Woodcock	"	15th Oct., at	VIII.	"	Jan. 21st, at XXVII.
Snipe	"	1st Aug., at	XIV.	"	Jan. 13th, at XXVII.
Jacksnipe	"	31st Oct, at	XXVII.	"	Dec. 11th, at XXVII.
Whimbrel	"	8th July, at	VIII.	(Only record).
		Rush.

The winds in autumn prevailed as follows:—

July.
N.E. to S.S.E.,
occasionally
westerly
and
southerly.

Aug.
N.N.E. to
S.S.E.,
occasionally
N.

Sept.
N.W. to
S.W.,
once
S.S.E.

Oct.
N.W.,
north of
XIV.;
E. and N.E.
and S.E.
gale,
south of
XXVII.

Nov.
N. to W.
at
XIV.;
S.E. at
XXVII.;
and
S.S.E.
and S. at
VIII.

Dec.
N.,
with
snow
over
all.

Jan.
...
...
...
...
...

Added to the List of Isle of May.—A Ruff (Machetes pugnax) sent for identification and for the collection, 5th May; light N.E. wind, clear. Most of this huge migratory flight of all sorts left by the afternoon of the 5th.

Sandpipers, Redshanks.—Spring, only two records of "Sandpipers," six on 7th Feb. 1885, at XXVII.; light S.W., clear; and one "Yellow Shanked Sandpiper" found dead on 1st May at XXVII. [We would be glad of wings and feet, or skin, of as many different Sandpipers as Mr Agnew can send us. Parcels once a month, or with each schedule. The true "Yellow Shanked Sandpiper" is a N. American species, but numbers of other species have yellow feet or legs.]

In Autumn.—All records are crowded into September and November. Species are Redshanks, "Grey Sandpiper," Common Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper. The "Common Sandpiper" is recorded from N. Unst, but the species is uncertain. [Please send wings or skin.]

Turnstones are recorded, 18th Sept., at XXVII.; W.S.W., light, clear.