86 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



long remain so, thanks to the inaccessibility of these islands. 

 On Eilean Mhor they are abundant, more so than the Storm 

 Petrel, and like that species fly noisily over the island during 

 the long summer nights. They lay earlier than felagica, the 

 earliest date for their eggs being the agth of May, but their 

 nesting habits are very similar. We found their nurseries 

 under stones among turf; in holes in turf overgrown with 

 grass, yet showing not the slightest signs of the incomings or 

 outgoings of the parents ; and among the stones forming the old 

 buildings. In some of the burrows the mat-like cradles of 

 roots and fibrous vegetable matter were placed several feet from 

 the entrance. The chicks are much darker in colour than 

 those of the Storm Petrel, being sooty black ; they were also 

 as a rule a little more advanced, but youngsters only a few days 

 old were found during the early days of our visit, as well as 

 others in every stage up to those almost ready to fly. The old 

 birds were entirely absent during the daytime, and only occa- 

 sionally came under notice at night when they visited the lantern. 



FULMAR (fnlmarus glacialis). A few pairs have bred on the outer 

 islands for several years, and in 1904 two couples had nests on 

 Eilean Mhor for the first time. 



They are recorded as appearing as early as i yth of February, 

 and are sometimes seen in considerable numbers in April and 

 May. We saw this bird on several occasions during our visit. 



GREAT SHEARWATER (Puffinus gravis). On leaving the islands on 

 the 2ist September we saw from the bridge of the " Pole Star" 

 a few of these birds at sea a little distance off the Flannans. 



CORRECTION. For ' Eilean Mhor ' throughout this paper, read ' Eilean Mor.' 

 ROYAI. SCOTTISH MUSEUM, EDINBURGH. 



TIPULID^E IN SHETLAND AND 

 KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 



By ROBERT HENDERSON. 



THE perusal of Mr. Grimshaw's list, No. IV. of his very 

 welcome series of papers on the distribution of Diptera in 

 Scotland, reminded me of two collections of flies belonging 

 to the families Ptychopterida, Limnobidce, and Tipulida, 

 which Mr. James J. F. X. King, F.E.S., of this city, very 

 kindly made for me a few years ago. 



