SULE SKERRY, ORKNEY, AND ITS BIRD LIFE 19 



language. More than once I have seen the labour of two 

 days utterly destroyed in this fashion. In ordinary circum- 

 stances it takes from six to eight days to complete the nest, 

 and when finished it presents a curious appearance, consisting 

 of dried grass, seaweed, old rope, wire rope, and pieces of 

 wood. The usual time to begin laying is about the middle 

 of April, but in 1896 I got an egg on the 5th of that 

 month. In other parts of the country Shags' nests are, in 

 my experience, built in inaccessible places, but on Sule 

 Skerry they are built all over the island, in some cases 

 under big boulders 200 yards from the sea. For the most 

 part they nest in colonies in suitable localities. On a space 

 of rock not more than 30 yards square I have counted 54 

 nests, some of them within a foot of one another. The 

 number of nests on the island is about the same every year, 

 averaging about 300, the number of eggs in each varying 

 from 2 to 5. Three is the most common, but 4 and 5 

 is by no means rare. During incubation the nest is never 

 left for a moment, the one bird relieving the other at 

 intervals. When the young are small, one of the parents 

 acts as food provider, but when they are a fortnight old it 

 takes the united efforts of both parents to convey sufficient 

 food to their hungry offspring. It is a very interesting 

 sight to watch them with the telescope when the feeding 

 operation is going on. The old bird comes in from the sea 

 and alights at the side of the nest. Immediately there is a 

 rush made by the young to see who will get to work first. 

 The fortunate one shoves its head entirely out of sight down 

 the old one's throat, and by its movements seems to be 

 enjoying itself. I don't suppose they know what it means 

 to get enough ; but apparently the parent decides that 

 question, for I have often seen it shake off the one at work 

 and give No. 2 a chance, and then No. 3. Sometimes No. 

 i or No. 2 manages to take the place of No. 3, and the 

 latter must go without till next time. I have seen 5 eggs 

 and 5 young birds hatched, but I never saw more than 3 

 come to maturity. If one or two are a day or two later in 

 being hatched, they are consequently weaker than those first 

 hatched, and are pushed aside by their more vigorous 

 brothers and sisters at feeding time, the parent seemingly 



