Rhinns of Islay Lighthouse, _23d December 1885_.
Sir,--I beg to return you the concluding schedule for this year, and most likely I have put a lot of remarks into it and previous ones that are of little account, and some of the wings I sent to you were most likely very common ones to you, although they were strange to me, or I had some doubts about them; but as I have now got the names of some of the odd ones in this locality, I will not likely trouble you with so many again. If my suggestion of including assistants as well as principals in filling up the schedules has been of any advantage this year, I would further suggest for 1886 that you should make a strong appeal to all stations to try for one year to give you all the information (and especially those who have not as yet sent in any or meagre returns) they can. First, what birds--or as many as they can ascertain--breed in then' near locality. Second, when do Stonechicks (which I believe are all over Scotland), Snow Buntings, Robins, Wrens, and several other small birds arrive which make their appearance only at certain seasons. In looking over the Report for 1884, the point that annoyed me most was, that I could not make out the names and terms of all the different species; but at John o' Groat's School thirty-five years ago there was no word of Latin. In '84's Report I expected to have seen better reports from some stations that I know, such as North Unst, Start Point, and Noss Head. At North Unst there are several migrants which build on the rock, and I wondered to see no account of Mother Carey's Chickens, as they breed on the rock, and at the end of August they annoyed us a good deal by striking the lantern and emitting an oily substance on the glass. At Start Point the Sheldrake breeds, and I have seen the Stock Duck breed on it also; and I was told there were thirteen species of Ducks frequented that locality, and I have seen Teal and Widgeon there in hundreds. Also at Noss Head there are various classes of birds which visit it in the breeding season. I once knew of a Grebe got in a small pond there. Trusting you won't feel annoyed at the above remarks, I am, etc.,
_Lamlash._--Messrs David Scott and Robert Brown send us one schedule. The remark occurs that "the Thrush is becoming very scarce here."