ruffs and one reeve.
_Calidris arenaria_, Sanderling.--Flamborough, Aug. 3rd, old male in
summer plumage (W. E. C.). Yarmouth, 11th, Knots and Sanderlings on
beach. Spurn, Oct. 23rd, a few.
_Totanus glareola_, Wood Sandpiper.--Bridlington, middle of August,
a young bird was shot on South Sands (W. E. C.). Spurn, middle of
September, three, all immature, taken to Mr. P. Lawton, of Easington.
_T. calidris_, Redshank.--Outer Dowsing L.V., May 9th, one "Red-legged
Sandpiper" on deck, then to W. Wells, Norfolk, Aug. 28th, numerous; one
hundred or more in a flock. Tees L.V., Sept. 23rd, large flock. Farn
L.V., Nov. 28th, very large flocks with Purple Sandpiper and Turnstone
on rocks. _T. fuscus_, Spotted Redshank, Breydon, Oct. 20th, one shot.
_T. canescens_, Greenshank.--Wells, Norfolk, Aug. 27th, "comparatively
numerous." Yarmouth, Aug. 9th, four shot, all immature. Sept. 2nd, two.
_Limosa lapponica_, Bar-tailed Godwit.--Redcar, July 28th, and forward
to Aug. 27th, in some numbers.
_Numenius phæopus_, Whimbrel.--Redcar, July 18th, N.E. light, first
passing over, very high. Yarmouth, Aug. 1st, all day. Redcar, 8th,
S.W. strong, two large flocks of fifty; 23rd and 24th, rush, and at
intervals to Sept. 10th.
_N. arquata_, Curlew.--Farn L.H., March 11th, 5 to 6 p.m., four to five
hundred to island from mainland in flocks from five to thirty. Whitby
L.H., June 20th, great many night and day. Winterton L.H., Sept. 10th,
12.30 a.m., one caught beating against lantern, great many during
night to W. Farn L.H., Nov. 17th, large flock to E. Hasbro' L.V., Jan.
3rd, 1884, one killed. Heligoland, Oct. 30th and 31st, great many with
_Tringa_ and _Scolopax_, _Limosa_ and _Vanellus_; and night of 31st,
great rush.
Sterninæ, Terns.--Spurn, May 4th, all day to north. At the Farne Islands
the Arctic Terns, _Sterna macrura_, returned to their nesting quarters
on May 20th, and left again on Aug. 3rd, only a few being seen after
that date. Yarmouth, Aug. 7th to 10th, Black, Common, and Arctic Terns
along shore, and through the month to 31st; in shore only when wind is
westerly, in flocks of ten to fifty, nine-tenths being young; it is the
westerly winds which bring in the herring "syle," on which the Terns
feed. The Sandwich Tern, _Sterna cantiaca_, arrived at the Farn Islands
between April 15th and 23rd, leaving again on Aug. 3rd. At Languard
Point, Mr. Owen Boyle saw on June 1st, 4.45 a.m., a pair of Roseate
Terns; 7th, four Sandwich Terns; 15th, four Lesser Terns; and on 23rd,
four Common Terns. At Redcar, on Sept. 5th, 6th, 7th, and 10th, many
flights were heard passing over in dark.
Larinæ, Gulls.--Whitby L.H., Feb. 15th, Herring Gulls returning to
cliffs; July 18th, first young on wing; Aug. 14th, Gulls, old and
young, left the cliff. Farn L.H., April 14th, Lesser Black-backed
Gulls returning to nesting quarters. Yarmouth, Aug. 10th, Gulls,
mostly young, along shore feeding on "syle," five to thirty in flock.
Flamborough, Sept. 12th, great many Gulls all day to south. Spurn,
Sept. 24th, two hundred Herring Gulls to south. Cockle L.V., Oct. 25th,
great many large Gulls, young and old, E. to W.; Nov. 17th to 23rd,
9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Great Black-backed Gulls from W. to E. Farn L.H.,
Nov. 8th to 30th, very large number of Black-headed Gulls fishing round
island at flood each day; Dec. 8th, two "Bass" Gulls; 12th, one. "These
Gulls are all cream-colour. I am not sure if they are the Glaucous, so
have given them the local name." At Heligoland, young Glaucous Gulls,
_L. glaucus_, were repeatedly seen about island in December; and during
the last week in January, 1884, hundreds of Black-headed Gulls, _L.
ridibundus_, frequented the plateau of cliff, which Mr. Gätke says is a
"very exceptional" circumstance there. _Xema sabinii_, Sabine's Gull,
an immature example was shot on. Oct. 28th, the second example which
has been obtained there; and on Nov. 10th a second young bird was seen
by Aeuckens, the birdstuffer.
Stercorariinæ, Skuas.--Redcar, Aug. 25th, two; Teesmouth, 27th,
Richardson's Skua, _S. crepidatus_. Farn L.H., Sept. 17th, several
chasing Gulls. Yarmouth, 20th, many. Heligoland, Oct. 27th, _S.
pomatorhinus_, one.
Procellariidæ, Petrels.--The Stormy Petrel, _P. pelagica_, occurred at
Yarmouth, Oct. 2nd, and Spurn on 23rd, shot in each case from beach.
Hasbro' L.V., 27th, seven caught on deck, on 31st ten, and between
Oct. 27th and Nov. 4th several were taken at various stations at sea
off the east coast. One Fork-tailed Petrel, _P. leucorrhoa_, from
Happisburgh (Hasbro') L.V. in October. A Shearwater was seen at Farn
L.H. July 20th, 6 a.m., going north; and at Spurn L.H. on Aug. 5th, 2
a.m., a Manx Shearwater, _P. anglorum_, was killed against the lantern.
Breydon, Sept. 5th, one shot. In the latter part of the same month two
Sooty Shearwaters, P. griseus, were obtained in Bridlington Bay, and
taken to the shop of Mr. Jones, birdstuffer, where they were seen and
identified by Mr. W. E. Clarke.[26]
[Footnote 26: 'Zoologist,' 1884, p. 180.]
Colymbidæ, Divers.--Tees L.V., March 28th, one Great Northern and two
Red-throated Divers off the light-ship, in company with two Grebes,
twelve Sheldrake, and six Brent Geese. Redcar, Sept. 2nd, four or five
Red-throated Divers; and on 20th several lots of both. Breydon Water,
Oct. 16th, adult Red-throated Diver. At the Farn Islands, last half of
October and in November, many Great Northern Divers about islands; Jan.
15th, 1884, several Red-throated Divers about island.
Podicipidæ, Grebes.--Bridlington, latter part of August, Red-necked
Grebe, _P. griseigena_, shot, in full summer plumage. Spurn, Nov. 2nd,
a few pairs of Little Grebes, _Tachybaptes fluviatilis_, on ponds; and
on Jan. 6th, 1884, three Great Crested Grebes, _P. cristatus_, on the
sea off point.
Alcidæ, Auks.--At Flamborough, in February, 1884, great numbers of
Razorbills, _Alca torda_, all returned to their nesting quarters on
the cliffs, an unprecedented circumstance there; and large numbers of
the Common Guillemot were reported by the fishermen as seen at sea
off the headland. At the Farn Islands, March 22nd, 1883, Guillemots
had come to their nesting quarters, thousands arriving on April 1st.
Puffins on the 15th. On January 10th and 28th, 1884, on each day a
Black Guillemot, _Uria grylle_, was shot from the island. The Little
Auk, _Mergulus alle_, shot there on Dec. 29th; and on Feb. 4th and 5th,
1884, a great many were seen flying and swimming about the islands,
more than had ever been seen before.
The Committee are again indebted to Professor Chr. Fr. Lütken, of the
Universitetets Zoologiske Museum, Copenhagen, for a list of the birds
killed or taken against the lantern of the lighthouse of Stevns, on
the projecting part of Zealand, marking the limit between the Baltic
and Oresund, in the spring and autumn of 1883. The list has been drawn
up by Mr. Autander, a physician living in the neighbourhood of the
lighthouse. In forwarding the list to Professor Lütken he states there
has been in this year only a few nights in which any number of birds
have been killed, in consequence of the sky being generally clear
during the time of the migration.
Stevns Fyr (Lighthouse of Stevns ), 1883.
Night to--
April 6th. Saxicola œnanthe 2, male and female.
" " Regulus cristatus 2 males.
" " Erithacus rubecula 1 male.
" 12th. Turdus viscivorus 2.
" " T. merula 4.
" " T. musicus 10.
" " Alauda arvensis 6.
" " Regulus cristatus 1.
" " Saxicola œnanthe 4.
" " Erithacus rubecula 2.
" 13th. Scolopax rusticula 1 male.
" " Columba palumbus 1.
" " Sturnus vulgaris 1.
" " Emberiza citrinella 1.
" " Fringilla cœlebs 1.
" " Saxicola œnanthe 1.
" " Troglodytes parvulus 2.
" " Alauda arvensis 2.
" " Turdus musicus 8.
" " Erithacus rubecula 15.
Aug. 4th. Tringa alpina 1 male.
" 26th. Jynx torquilla 1 male.
Sept. 3rd. Sylvia trochilus 3.
" " Luscinia phœnicurus 1 male.
" " Muscicapa grisola 1 male.
" " M. atricapilla 1 female.
" " Columba ænas 1 female.
" " Lanius collurio 1 young male.
" 5th. Querquedula cracca 1 male.
" " Motacilla alba 1 young male.
" " Luscinia phœnicurus 6.
" " Jynx torquilla 1.
" " Sterna argentata 1.
" " Erithacus suecicus 1.
" " Sylvia schœnobænus 1.
" " S. cinerea 2.
" " S. hortensis 5.
" " S. trochilus 2.
" " Motacilla flava 1.
" " Saxicola œnanthe 2.
" " S. rubetra 1.
" " Muscicapa atricapilla 4.
" " †Locustella fluviatilis 1.
" 6th. Podiceps minor 1 young male.
Oct. 1st. Turdus musicus 2.
" 4th. Sylvia atricapilla 1.
" 11th. Turdus musicus 8.
" " Sturnus vulgaris 1.
" " Alauda arvensis 2.
" " Sylvia rufa 2.
" " Fringilla montifringilla 6.
" " Emberiza schœniclus 11.
" " Erithacus rubecula 25.
" 20th. Fringilla montifringilla 1.
" 26th. Coccothraustes vulgaris 1 male.
Nov. 1st. Emberiza citrinella 1 male.
† Determined at the Museum; not before found in Denmark.
Since the completion of the Report a schedule has been received from
the Leman and Ower L.V. moored forty-eight miles E.N.E. of Cromer, on
the coast of Norfolk. From Feb. 11th to May 8th, Skylarks, Black Crows,
Rooks, Wild Ducks, Starlings, and Goldcrests, are recorded as going
in _westerly_ directions; a like anomalous direction was maintained
during the same period at the Outer Dowsing, Newarp, Cockle, and Llyn
Wells light-vessels by birds passing these stations. On May 8th a great
many Goldcrests came from the south at 11 a.m., and then went _west_.
Sept. 11th, great numbers of Goldcrests going from S.E. to W.; and
on Oct. 28th with Redbreasts and Wrens from S. to N.W. Between Oct.
27th and Nov. 1st two hundred and eight birds were killed or taken
on the vessel, including seven Grey Crows, Larks, Redbreasts, Wrens,
Goldcrests, Starlings, Sparrows, Chaffinches, and two Woodcocks; these
birds were travelling from S., S.E., and E. to N.W., N.N.W., and W.
Wings from Galloper L.V. by Mr. Gurney. Oct. 10th, Tree Sparrow and
Chaffinch; 11th, Shore Lark; 13th, Great Tit; 27th, Chaffinch; 28th,
Blackstart (young male or old female?), Thrush; 30th, Meadow Pipit;
Nov. 3rd, Jack Snipe and Water Rail.
On April 9th, 1884, I received from Mr. Gurney the wing of a Dabchick
(Little Grebe), which struck the lantern of the Hasbro' lighthouse at
11 p.m. on the night of March 30th. The force was so great that the
bird was split from the neck along the entire length of body; and on
April 8th a Hoopoe was killed against the North Hasbro' L.V., and the
head, wings, and legs sent to Mr. Gurney by Mr. B. V. Darnell, mate of
that vessel. A Hoopoe was also taken alive on April 10th, on board a
Grimsby smack when one hundred miles E.N.E. of the Spurn, wind blowing
strong from E., and had been for some days.
At Heligoland, on the night from Aug. 6th to 7th, S.E., a considerable
flight of the Silver Gamma Moth, _Plusia gamma_, but nothing to be
compared with the perfect snow-storms of this moth which passed in
the autumn of 1882, all going west. On Oct. 11th, S.S.W., there was a
considerable flight of _Hybernia defoliaria_, the Mottled Umber Moth,
mixed with _Hybernia aurantiaria_, the scarce Umber; and also during
the nights of the last week in October repeated flights of these
moths. With reference to the great flight of _Plusia gamma_ in 1882, a
notice of which appeared in our last Report, 1882, p. 47, Mr. Charles
Williams, of the Hanois L.H., Guernsey, sends this note:--"Seeing Mr.
Gätke's remarks in your Report about the Gamma Moth, I beg to say that
they were here in June or July."
At the Tees L.V., Nov. 18th, "a large Seal came quite close to vessel,
largest I've ever seen." As the Common Seal is well known at the mouth
of the Tees, this probably may have been the Grey Seal, _Halichœrus
gryphus_.
From Flamborough comes the announcement that, on Feb. 18th, that rare
fish, the Ribbon or Oar-fish, _Regalecus banksii_, was found alive
amongst the rocks on the south side near the Head; it measured thirteen
feet three inches in length, sixteen inches in depth, and five and a
half inches in thickness; it was supposed to have been brought in by
the tremendous easterly swell of the last few days. It was purchased by
Mr. Whittaker, of Scarborough, for thirty pounds.
General Remarks.
The observations taken on the East Coast of England in 1883 have been
such as to generally confirm the conclusions arrived at in previous
Report, having special reference to directions of flight and lines of
migration.
The winter of 1883-84 has been exceptionally mild, and there has been
an almost entire absence of severe frosts and lasting snow-storms;
the prevailing winds in the autumn W. and S.W.--such as we know are
specially favourable for the passage of the North Sea by great flights
of birds, and their direct movement inland without alighting to rest
or recruit themselves in the east coast districts. Our land stations
report a great scarcity both of land and sea-birds; this has not,
however, been the case at sea stations--that is, light-vessels situated
off the coast at distances varying from five to fifty miles; here the
stream of migration, so far from showing any abatement, has flown
steadily on in a full tide, and, judging from the well-filled schedules
that have been returned, there appears to have been a decided increase
in the migrants passing these distant stations--due, perhaps, in some
measure to increased interest and improved observations. Mr. Wm. Stock,
of the Outer Dowsing L.V., remarks that he had never before seen so
many birds past that station. The rush also over Heligoland during the
autumn was enormous. Migration is more marked there than on the English
coast; there was a great movement of various species passing forward on
the 6th and 7th of August, and again on the 14th, and more pronounced
still on the 21st and 22nd.
The first great rush of birds on the English coast was on Sept. 21st,
and two following days; and a similar great movement or rush is
indicated in Mr. Gätke's notes from his island outpost, as well as on
our more distant light-ships. The prevailing winds on the North Sea on
Sept. 21st were moderate north-easterly and easterly off the coasts
of Denmark and Holland, blowing strong easterly on to our northern
coasts north of the Humber, with southerly and south-westerly off the
southeast coasts, causing cross-currents over the North sea. Whatever
then was the impulse, atmospheric or otherwise, which induced such an
immense rush of various birds at this time, it was one which acted
alike, and with precisely the same impulse, on the Sea Eagle and tiny
Goldcrest.
The second great rush was on the 12th and 13th of October, a similar
movement being recorded at Heligoland. Then again from the 27th to the
31st, and somewhat less through the first week in November, the passage
across Heligoland, as well as the rush on our east coast, was enormous.
Speaking of the nights from the 27th to 31st inclusive, Mr. Gätke says,
"This was the first move by the million; for four nights there has been
a gigantic feathery tide running." During this time there were variable
winds over the North Sea, but generally easterly and south-easterly on
the Continent; but strong west winds and squalls prevailing generally
on the 5th and 6th of November. With the outburst of some severe
weather during the first week in December a considerable local movement
is indicated along our coast from north to south, culminating in the
enormous rush of Snow Buntings into Lincolnshire about the end of the
first week in that month. A careful perusal of the Report will show how
generally the rushes across Heligoland correlate with those observed
on our east coast, although not always confined to the same species in
both localities.
A somewhat remarkable and very anomalous movement of migrants is
recorded in the schedules from some of the light-vessels off the
Lincolnshire and Norfolk coasts in the spring of 1883. In February,
March, April, and May, birds passing the Leman and Ower, Llyn Wells,
Outer Dowsing, Newarp, and Cockle light-vessels were as a rule coming
from easterly and passing in westerly directions. Had this movement
been noticed at one station only we might perhaps have been inclined to
doubt the accuracy of the return, but the fact of five light-vessels
having no communication with each other reporting the same circumstance
proves the correctness of the observations. A summary of the spring
quarter at these stations shows:--
Outer Dowsing L.V., March 31st to May 18th, Sparrows, Chaffinches,
Wrens, Rooks, Larks, Tree Sparrows, Linnets, Titlarks, Bullfinches,
from E., S.E., E. by S., and N.E. to W, N.W., W.N.W., and W.S.W.
Llyn Wells L.V., April 30th, various flocks of Crows to S.W.
Newarp L.V., March 17th to April 15th, Crows on six days to W.
Leman and Ower L.V., Feb. 18th to May 8th, Skylarks, Starlings,
Titlarks, Goldcrests, E. and E.S.E. to N.W.
Cockle L.V., Feb. 22nd to March 31st, Black Crows, Ducks, Jackdaws,
Starlings, Larks, Lapwings, "Snow-birds" to W. On March 20th, 24th, and
26th, Black Crows or Rooks continuous from 5.50 a.m. to 11 a.m., E.
to W.; and on 31st also continuous from morning to night in the same
direction.
All these entries show a great immigration to our coast from the east
in the spring months, and on precisely the same lines and directions as
are travelled by these birds in the autumn.
An interesting feature of the autumn migration is the occurrence of
a flight of the Blue-throated Warbler, _Cyanecula suecica_; twelve
altogether were obtained, all being birds of the year, and nine of
these on the coast of Norfolk, besides about twenty others seen by
competent observers.
Very few Goldcrests, compared with the enormous flights of the
previous autumn, have crossed, and the same scarcity is observable in
the Heligoland return. Curiously enough, the Hedgesparrow, _Accentor
modularis_, which migrated in such immense numbers in the same autumn,
has been almost entirely absent. About half a dozen are recorded at
Heligoland, none on the East Coast of England.
The intermittent migration of some birds, as the Jay, Shore Lark,
Goldcrest, Hedgesparrow, Siskin, and Mealy Redpole, indicated by
their extraordinary abundance in some years, and partial or entire
absence in others, is perhaps suggestive of local causes influencing
and regulating their movements, such as a succession of favourable
breeding seasons, scarcity or failure of food, sudden meteorological
changes; these acting separately or in combination, would be sufficient
to compel the migration of large bodies of birds from centres or
localities, where, under normal conditions, they would either have
remained or some part only migrated. In this manner whole districts
may become denuded for a time of their feathered inhabitants, and the
balance become again rectified by a return movement in the spring, or
from the surplus supply bred in other districts.
Of the enormous immigration which crosses our east coast in the autumn,
either to winter in these islands or passing across them, a small
proportion only appear to return by the same route. Spring returns
from lighthouses and light-vessels show birds then move on the same
lines as were followed in the autumn, but in the reverse direction. Yet
these return travellers do not represent anything like a tithe of the
immigrants which, week by week and month after month in the autumn,
pour in one great tide on to the coast.
What is called the "first flight" of the Woodcock arrived on the
Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk coasts on the night of Oct. 21st.
The "great flight" or rush, which covered the whole of the east coast
from the Farn Islands to Yarmouth, was on the nights of the 28th and
29th. These two periods correlate with the great flights of Woodcocks
over Heligoland.
We are again indebted to Professor Ch. F. Lütken, of Copenhagen, for
a list of the birds killed or taken alive against the lantern of the
Stevns lighthouse, at the entrance of the Oresund, in Zealand. The list
is specially interesting, as it names so many of the Heligoland birds.
The occurrence of Locustella fluviatilis on Sept. 5th is the first
recorded example for Denmark.
The Roller, _Coracias garrula_, occurred in October in two localities,
one in Lincolnshire, the other in Suffolk. Two examples of the Sooty
Shearwater, _Puffinus griseus_, were obtained in Bridlington Bay in
the end of September. Altogether there has been a very marked absence
along our east coast of rare and casual visitants; Heligoland, however,
retains its pre-eminence for rare wanderers, and Mr. Gätke's list for
1883 includes _Turdus varius_, _Pratincola rubicola_ var. _indicus_,
_Phylloscopus superciliosus_, _Hypolais pallida_, _Motacilla citriola_,
_Anthus cervinus_, _A. richardi_, _Oriolus galbula_, _Lanius major_,
_Muscicapa parva_, _Linota exilipes_, _Emberiza melanocephala_, _E.
cirlus_, _E. rustica_, _E. pusilla_, _Pastor roseus_, and _Xema
Sabinii_.
_Note._--At page 47, under the head "_Coracias garrula_, Roller,"
the locality of Bradwell is erroneously given in Norfolk, instead of
Suffolk (2½ miles S.W. of Great Yarmouth). Mr. Gurney writes that, on
June 6th, 1884, a Roller was shot at Gresham, near Cromer, and that
before this Norfolk has not produced one for about thirty years.
WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND.
"And now, their route designed, their leaders chose,
Their tribes adjusted, clean'd their vigorous wings.
And many a circle, many a short essay,
Wheel'd round and round, in congregation full
The figur'd flight ascends, and riding high
The aërial billows, mixes with the clouds."
Thomson.
Schedules were sent to thirty-four stations, as in previous years. We
have received filled schedules from seventeen stations.
Generally the returns are very light, still lighter than last year.
We have notes on about thirty-nine species of land birds from this
coast; about twenty species of water birds; and about eight species of
littoral species, or wading birds.
The spring migration, for sake of uniformity with the East Coast, I
have kept separate. Weather notes are included in the General Remarks.
List of Stations.
'79 '80 '81 '82 '83
* * * 81. Cape Wrath, Sutherland 400 ft.
* * * * 82. Rhu Stoir, " 195 " Wm. Wither
Outer Hebrides.
* * * * * 83. Butt of Lewis 170 " A. Thompson
* * * 84. Stornoway 56 " John Grierson
* * * 85. Island Glass 130 "
* * * * * 86. Monach Isles {150 "} J. Youngclause
{ 62 "}
* * 87. Ushenish 176 "
* 88. Barra Head 683 " Wm. Irvine
Mainland, Skye, and Inner Hebrides.
89. Rona, Skye 222 "
* * * * 90. Kyleakin, Rosshire 53 " D. M'Culloch
* * 91. Isle Ornsay, Skye 58 "
* * 92. Ardnamurchan Pt. Argyl. 180 "
{93. Hynish Signal Tower, }
* * * * * { Tyree } 150 " Wm. Crow
{94. Skerryvore, off Tyree }
* * * * * 95. Dhuheartach, S. of
Ross of Mull 145 " Jas. Ewing
* * * * * 96. Sound of Mull 55 " W. M'Lellan
97. Corran Ferry, Loch Eil 38 "
* * * * 98. Lismore Island, Oban 103 " Alex. Murray
* * 99. Fladda, Easdale 42 "
* * * 100. Rhuvaal, Islay 147 "
* * * * 101. M'Arthur's Head, Islay 128 " W. Maill
* * * * * 102. Skervuile, Jura 73 " John Ewing
* * * * * 103. Rhinns of Islay 159 " Andrew Lyall
* * 104. Lochindaul 50 "
105. Mull of Kintyre 297 "
107. Devaar, Kintyre 120 "
108. Pladda, Arran 130 "
* * 109. Lamlash, Arran 46 " David Waters
* * 110. Turnberry, Ayrshire 96 "
* * * * 111. Corsewall, Wigtonshire 112 " Robt. Laidlaw
* * * * * 112. Loch Ryan, " 46 " Ralph Ewing
* * * * * 113. Portpatrick, " 37 " James Begg
* * * * 114. Mull of Galloway " 325 "
* 115. Little Ross, Kircudbright 175 "
116.
117.
118.
119. [1880]
120.
General Remarks by Reporters.
Mr. James Youngclause, Monach lighthouse, says:--"I am sorry to have
such a meagre report to send you, but birds have been awfully scarce
here for some years back, and I have sent you records of all that I
have seen."
I am obliged to Mr. William Irvine for the first report I have received
from Barra Head, which, however, is a station which can hardly be
expected to give large returns, owing to its position and great height
above the sea. A daily record here for a few seasons of the movements
of Gannets and rock-birds might prove of considerable interest, such as
daily hours of going to and from their feeding-grounds. Such might be
found also interesting to fisherfolk.