Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/100

76 the colony of Lyra Skerry, described by Mr. Raeburn (Zool. 1891, p. 131), and great numbers of the birds, mixed with other species, were assembled on the shallow ponds in the interior of Papa. The darker colour of the mantle, as compared with that of L. fuscus, was very noticeable. We were shown some eggs, taken recently (25th May) on Foula, where, we were told, the bird is rather scarce.

(Rissa tridactyla).—Common. There are great colonies, as is well known, on Foula, and in Burra Firth, Unst. On the former island we saw innumerable Kittiwakes flying from a bit of wet ground inland to the cliffs, each with a morsel of moss in its beak.

(Stercorarius catarrhactes).—We saw the colonies both on Foula, and, by permission of Mr. Edmondston, on Hermanness. At the former laying had just commenced. On 25th May we saw a number of empty nests, others with one egg, and about twelve with their full number of two eggs. The nest was usually a scratched hollow about a foot across.

(S. crepidatus).—Saw them nesting on Hermanness and Foula, on the latter in two places, near the Great Skua, and, in larger numbers, on the level not far from the landing place. On 25th May, on Foula, we saw one egg only, where a very large number of Skuas was collected; yet we were several times actually struck by the birds, which never occurred with the larger species, nor indeed with this species on Hermanness, where in a few cases two eggs had been laid on 28th May. In both colonies dark-plumaged birds seemed to be in the majority.

(Alca torda). (Uria troile).—Abundant on the sea; we saw little or nothing of their breeding.

(Uria grylle).—Very common and abundant; quite the characteristic sea-bird of Shetland. Laying scarcely commenced by the beginning of June.

(Mergulus alle).—On the top of the brow near the Kaim, Foula, we picked up a part of a skeleton with the wings attached.

(Fratercula arctica).—Numerous; nesting abundantly on Foula; eggs seen. One we picked up had been carried some distance inland, no doubt by a Raven or Crow; it was undamaged except by a small dent, probably caused by the bird's bill.