20 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



being unable to discriminate between those which have been 

 fed and those which have not. On 2nd June 1902 there was 

 a very heavy sea all round the island which washed away 

 fully 200 nests. In many cases the young were hatched, 

 but were quite unable to battle with the stormy sea. The 

 old birds stuck by their nests as long as a vestige remained, 

 trying all in their power to protect young and eggs by 

 spreading out their wings as a covering, but all in vain. 

 The following week nest-building was again in full operation 

 on the same spots, and by the end of June most of the birds 

 were sitting on i and 2 eggs. These were hatched in July 

 and August, and the young were able to fight the battle of 

 life unaided in September. The young leave the locality 

 about the beginning of winter, for after November it is rare 

 to see an immature bird. I am inclined to think they take 

 refuge on some more sheltered shores until they attain full 

 strength. The number of old birds remains year after year 

 much about the same in winter and spring. 



The Great Black -backed Gull is found all the year 

 round on the island. It nests on the outlying parts, and 

 during the breeding season spends all its spare time stealing 

 anything in the shape of food, especially the eggs and 

 young of other birds. Altogether there are about a dozen 

 pairs resident. 



Very few Herring Gulls build on the island, but in 

 summer vast flocks assemble on the outlying rocks, finding, 

 I have no doubt, an abundance of food when the herrings 

 are on the coast. About a dozen are resident all the year 

 round. 



A small number of Rock Pipits seem to find the locality 

 a suitable one in which to spend their whole life. In winter 

 they are always in evidence about the house door, continually 

 on the watch for any refuse that may be thrown out. They 

 nest in May and June, but in what numbers it is not easy 

 to say, for they lay in out-of-the-way corners not easily 

 discovered. In July the young can be seen in considerable 

 flocks, but they, like the young of the Shag, seem to emigrate, 

 for the resident population does not increase. When the 

 relief boat (Pole Star) from Stromness comes out, crowds of 

 them fly to meet her, and rest on the deck and rigging. 



