[Footnote 22: One Woodcock struck hard on the west side of the dome at Isle of May, flying dead against light east wind, and was found next morning 100 yards to the N.E., and shot by a friend. Its breast was torn open, and much lacerated. It may have struck the side of the dome, and glanced off; but we were in the lantern-room at the time, and it sounded on the W. side. It had evidently dropped after striking outside the balcony, and then, recovering, flew straight for the Pilot House, the white-washed walls of which were reflecting the lantern-light.]
[Footnote 23: Some birds, even in light winds and haze, seem more impetuous than others at the lantern-lights, such as Woodcock and Snipe.--J. A. H. B.]
Sterninæ.--Few records. Terns arrived at Pentland Skerries on 11th May; and at Cromarty the Lesser Tern arrived on 4th May. The Terns left about the 20th August, and the Lesser Terns on the 15th, with light S.W. wind. In September a flock of Terns passed Bell Rock on the 15th, and on the 17th a flock kept round the lantern all night, strong N.W., and disappeared with daylight.
_Note._--The birds called the Laughing Gull, by Mr. Agnew, are the Common Gull (_Larus canus_), not common at Isle of May.
_To Mr. Agnew._--The true Laughing Gull is an American species; and our Black-headed Gull (_Larus ridibundus_) may also be confused with your "Laughing Gull." "Common Gull" is the correct name of the bird you describe and name "Laughing Gull."
Laridæ.--Kittiwakes arrived in great numbers at N. Unst on 13th March, strong S., hail and sleet. Gulls and rock birds arrived in great numbers at Sumburgh Head on 8th March, and again on 24th, light N.E., haze.[24] Kittiwakes arrived first on 16th March at Isle of May, and great many more on 24th, wind from W. to N.E. Great Black-backed Gulls are mentioned at Sumburgh Head and Pentland Skerries on 4th February and 4th March respectively. Three "Bonxies" seen at N. Unst, 20th April, the first arrivals, light E.N.E., clear. Richardson's Skuas, a number at Sumburgh Head, 3rd May, S. gale and snow. Kittiwakes first appeared at (or first record at) Pentland Skerries, 5th May (?). They began to return west, by our records, on 23rd July, several flocks of Gulls, flying W. Skuas, occasional records at Pentland Skerries; are apparently local in August. Kittiwakes all left Isle of May on 29th August, and hundreds of Gulls arrived. Flocks of Gulls all September at most stations, but no unusual numbers noted. "Gulls and Cormorants (J. A. H. B.) were wheeling high in air; not a good sign of the coming weather."[25] Iceland Gulls (called also "Snow Birds," in common with Snow Buntings) first appeared at N. Unst on 1st October, again seen on the 4th. "Gulls," of sorts, abundant at Isle of May by Nov. 17th; and garvies, or "sprats" (_Clupea sprattus_), in vast shoals round the island (see General Remarks). At North Ronaldshay numbers of Gulls seen, and a good many Black-backed Gulls remaining and feeding on the people's turnips! (or slugs or worms, J. A. H. B., 21st December). Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Kittiwakes, Black-headed Gulls, two common Skuas (J. A. H. B.), _L. catarractes_, a few Glaucous Gulls, one Little Gull recorded by J. A. H. B. at Kincardine, on the Firth of Forth. All the above species were frequenting the Firth of Forth, the Kittiwakes and commoner Gulls in hundreds and thousands. Sprats sold at 14_s._, 12_s._ to 8_s._ per ton at S. pier, at Kincardine; fields covered, mud covered, sea covered, air filled with Gulls. No such vast assemblage of Laridæ in Scotland since the invasion of Arctic Gulls in 1872-73 (see Proc. Glasg. Nat. Hist. Soc, Jan. 7th and 28th, 1873). The estuary of the Tay was quite deserted by garvies, or sprats, this season, and few Gulls seen there.[26]