78 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



breast alone eaten, by a Peregrine. This Falcon, since the 

 Puffins and other " rock birds " had taken their departure, 

 seemed very partial to young Herring Gulls. 



COMMON GULL, Larus canus. Only three examples were observed 



by us, namely one on i5th September, and two on the 22nd 



all adults, and seen while seeking food on the land. We 



could not obtain any information regarding this bird as a 



breeding species. 



KITTIWAKE, Rissa tridactyla. This is the most abundant of the 

 Gulls nesting on the island, and its chief haunts are the pre- 

 cipitous flanks of the picturesque Sheep Craig. It was present 

 in numbers, but the birds seen by us were chiefly adults. At 

 the Flannan Isles, in the latter part of September of the 

 previous year, my experience was exactly the reverse, the few 

 Kittiwakes seen being all immature. This discrepancy, if it 

 may be so termed, between the two sets of observations is, no 

 doubt, to be accounted for by the difference in food supply, 

 which being greater at Fair Isle enables these birds to winter 

 there, though at that season they are not numerous. 



We had many opportunities of watching these birds capture 

 their prey. When thus engaged they plunged into the water 

 from a height of about thirty feet, and completely immersed 

 themselves. 



GREAT SKUA, Megalestris cafarr/iactes. All the natives declared to 

 us that they had it from their fathers that the " Bonxie " long 

 ago bred on the island. They were unable to fix the date 

 even approximately, but the fact has been handed down to 

 them as part and parcel of the history of the Isle a history 

 in which all the children are well versed. There can be no 

 doubt, I think, as to the accuracy of this traditional informa- 

 tion, and, if confirmation be needed, we have it in the state- 

 ment of Patrick Neill, who visited the Northern Isles in 1804. 

 In his " Tour through some of the Islands of Orkney and 

 Shetland, with a view chiefly to Objects of Natural History," 

 published in 1806, Neill states (p. 90, footnote) regarding this 

 species, that " its principal breeding-place is in the island of 

 Faulah ; but it breeds also in the Fair Isle, and in one or two 

 other places." 



From personal knowledge of the haunts of this interesting 

 bird, I consider that Fair Isle affords ideal breeding grounds, 

 high heathery sheep walks closely resembling its favourite 

 haunts in the not-far-off Island of Foula. 



Mr. Tulloch tells me that when stationed at Fair Isle he 

 observed numbers of this Skua passing northwards in spring, 

 but that he never saw any passing southwards in the autumn. 



