The season of 1881-82 will long be remembered by east coast ornithologists for the number of rare visitants which have appeared from time to time, driven to westward of their ordinary migration lines by the prevailing winds from N. and N.E. to E. and S.E., generally strong and frequently increasing to a severe gale. The fact of ten Ospreys having been seen or procured has already been mentioned; there were two occurrences of Tengmalm's Owl; the Rustic Bunting at Spurn; Lapp Bunting at Tetney, on Lincolnshire coast; White-spotted Blue-throat at Cley, in Norfolk; Glossy Ibis, five occurrences; Sabine's Gull, two on Norfolk coast; Kentish Plover, Lincolnshire; Blue-winged Teal, Teesmouth; and numerous other occurrences of scarcely secondary interest. These, as well as the rarer occurrences in Heligoland, have been separately treated in the notes on each species observed.
Schedules, &c., were sent to thirty-eight stations, the same number as in 1880. We have received filled-in schedules from twenty-six stations, being same as last year.
Generally the returns are light, and the scarcity of birds is accounted for by the reporters, and borne out by comparison of statistics, by the prevalence of westerly gales and winds (see General Remarks). The schedules show the same careful work as in former years.
The dates upon which the various stations have sent us returns are shown in the following list of the stations by the positions of the asterisks preceding the consecutive numbers. Stations added have the dates preceding the names. As will be seen, the work done will compare favourably with the East Coast returns, and also with that of previous seasons.
1879, '80, '81. * * * 81. Cape Wrath, Sutherland 400 ft. D. Sinclair. * * * 82. Rhu Stoir, W. Cromarty 195 " W. Wither.
* * * 83. Butt of Lewis 170 " { G. Edgar and { Alex Thompson. * * 84. Stornoway 56 " John Grierson. * * * 85. Island Glass 130 " W. Innes.
* * * 86. Monach Island { 150 " } J. Youngclause. { 62 " } * * 87. Ushenish 176 " Peter Carrie. 88. Barra Head 683 "
89. Bona, Skye 222 " * * 90. Kyleakin, Rosshire 63 " D. MacCulloch. * * * 91. Isle Ornsay, Skye 58 " J. Loughton. * * 92. Ardnamurchan, Pt. Argyle 180 ft. * * * { 93. Hynish Signal Tower, Tiree}150 " W. Crow. { 94. Skerryvore, off Tiree } * * * 95. Dhuheartach, S.W. of Ross of Mull 145 " J. Ewing. * * * 96. Sound of Mull 55 " W. Maclellan. 97. Conan Ferry, Loch Eil 38 " * * 98. Lismore Island, Oban 103 " Alex. Murray. * * 99. Fladda, Easdale 42 " * * * 100. Rhuvaal, Islay 147 " David Spink. * * 101. Mac Arthur's Head, Islay 128 " W. Maill. * * * 102. Skervuile, Jura 73 " John Ewing. * * * 103. Rhinns of Islay 159 " Andrew Lyall. * * 104. Lochindaul, Islay 50 " 105. Mull of Kintyre 297 " 106. Sanda, Kintyre Sound 165 " 107. Devaar, Kintyre 120 " 108. Pladda, Arran 130 " * 109. Lamlash, Arran 46 " David Waters. * * 110. Turnberry, Ayrshire 96 " Andrew Nisbet. * * * 111. Corsewall, Wigtown 112 " Robert Laidlaw. * * * 112. Loch Ryan, Wigtown 46 " Ralph Ewing. * * * 113. Portpatrick, Wigtown 37 " James Beggs. * * * 114. Mull of Galloway, Wigtown 325 " N. Morrison. * 115. Little Ross, Kirkcudbright 175 " W. A. Mackay. * * * 116. Point of Ayr, I. of Man 106 " James Blythe. * * 117. Douglas Head, I. of Man 104 " A. Irvine Grant. 118. Chickens Rock, I. of Man 122 " * * 119. 1880, Bahama Bank, Isle of Man (L.V.) Charles Johns. 120. 1880, Langness do.