_Isle of May._--Joseph Agnew sends eight schedules filled with his usual care, and dating February 3 to November 6, 1886, and kept up till his removal by the authorities to the Monach Isles, off the Outer Hebrides, the electric lighting of the Isle of May being completed, and an electric engineer placed in charge. Under date of April 6, 1886, Mr Agnew writes: "I send you the Turtle Dove. It had been very severely shot before it came here by some one. I did not send it to Small, but made the best of it myself, covering the wounds as well as I could." Under date of October 12, 1886, Mr Agnew writes: "The old carboy is still doing duty yet, and has been emptied two or three times. On one occasion it contained a _cosmic mouse_, but whether it came from Jupiter or Mars, or some other far off world, I do not know." As this carboy was put _in situ_ by ourselves in October 1884, in behalf of the Marine Station at Granton, we would be interested to know whether it has yielded any scientific results. Perhaps Mr John Murray will enlighten us. Regarding the electric light, Mr Agnew writes: "It will be ready in a few weeks, perhaps three weeks. I do not know what effect it will have on the birds. The light will be very intense, and the most powerful light in existence. The room in which the trials are now being conducted has the appearance of a place brilliantly lighted up at night, though it is in the day time. The daylight is made to disappear. If the light were a fixed one, same as the old one, I think it might have a _good_[4] effect, but I am afraid its quick revolving character will be against it. The light has been revolving for the last two months with the oil lamp, and though some birds have come to the lantern, I don't think, considering the numbers of birds, so many have struck as heretofore. But as I am leaving this, I very much fear the reports will be very meagre in future, if there be any at all. The man who succeeds me has been here for a month or more, and he seems to have no notion of the matter, and has never interested himself in it; and besides, he will be very little in the light-room; his principal business will be in the engine-house, though he is to be head-keeper. You may perhaps be able to get him interested in it. The two men, however, whose special duty will be in the light-room, may take up the subject, and do something; but I would say--be very thankful for what you have already got from Isle of May." In a later letter (26th October), Mr Agnew says: "I am now almost convinced that few birds will come near the lantern, the revolutions are so quick, _viz._, eight flashes in the minute. We can see the birds going round with the rays, and though they make a dash at the lantern, before they reach it the light leaves them, and they turn round after it again, and repeat the same. During all last week there was one Redstart, one Starling, and one Robin at the lantern; not a Woodcock has struck this year; the