THE PERSECUTION OF THE GREAT SKUA 9 



the direct influence of the late Dr. Scott, the proprietor, this 

 colony had greatly increased. During the breeding seasons 

 of 1890 and 1891 the Foula colony, now the largest in 

 Europe, suffered so severely through egg-taking, that practi- 

 cally no young birds were produced in those years. In 

 1892 a happy combination of circumstances fortunately 

 prevented undue molestation. 



Let us see how they fared in the summer of 1893. Mrs. 

 Traill and her son report as follows : 



The year 1893 has been a particularly bad one for the Great 

 Skuas in Foula. They arrived during the first week in April, a little 

 earlier than usual, and began to lay about i2th May. It is known 

 that the whole first and second layings and one or two eggs out of 

 the third were taken, and this is to be attributed to several causes. 

 In the first place, the poverty of the people made every penny of 

 great consequence ; and though there were few tourists this year, two 

 sloops from Orkney, which had come for trading purposes, bought a 

 great many eggs. Indeed, it was reported that one of these vessels 

 had taken away between twelve and twenty dozen of Bonxie's eggs. 

 An egg- dealer from Scalloway also came over and purchased a 

 considerable number. The entire blame of this wholesale taking 

 must not be ascribed to the people alone, as a gentleman from 

 England who paid a short visit here made no secret of the specimens 

 which he took. That the birds feel disturbed is evident from the 

 fact that they are shifting their breeding ground from one part of the 

 hills to another. 



It is quite certain that if the Great Skua is not to entirely dis- 

 appear from Foula, something must be done before next year to 

 protect their eggs. 



Mr. Traill also reports that during his many rambles over the 

 island during the past summer he never came across a single nestling; 

 and it seems highly probable that not a single young bird was reared 

 by the colony. We have already stated that the same result happened 

 in 1890, and again in 1891. How long can this state of affairs 

 continue ? If three out of four breeding seasons are to result in no 

 progeny being reared, the end must surely come before many more 

 years have elapsed. 



FAROES. 



Colonel Feilden has kindly communicated the fol- 

 lowing : 



Svabo, writing his memoirs of the Faroes in 1782, which still 

 remain in manuscript in the archives of the Royal Library at Copen- 



