NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 247 



according to all reports. It is difficult to account for this, as 

 they are, I understand, equally preserved and unmolested — at least 

 by the keepers and those who carry guns. Possibly the situation 

 of their nests may lay them open to more molestation from foxes 

 and vermin than the other species. 



Obs. Great Northern Diver (Colymbus glacialis, L.) — I may add 

 I have additional evidence regarding the breeding of this species 

 at the same inland locality where I saw them in 1868. The 

 actual proof is, however, still awanting. A report also was 

 circulated that they had bred at another locality, and that the eggs 

 had been taken, but I obtained no corroborative evidence ; and in 

 this instance, written evidence or ocular proof is all that I could 

 pay attention to. 



LITTLE GREBE. 



PODICEPS MINOR (Gmel.) 126. 



Mr Mackenzie notes tliis species as common in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dornoch, and also at certain small lochs near Durness. 

 In the Assynt district one was shot, a year or two ago, on Muloch 

 Corrie Loch, at the base of Ben More. It was the first seen in 

 th€se parts by the keeper, or by the shepherds. 



EICHARDSON'S SKUA. 



STERCORARIUS CREPIDATUS, Gmel. 130. 



Mr Mackenzie informs me that Mr Houstoun's gamekeeper on 

 Kintradale (Kintra4well f) got a nest with eggs. 



GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL. 



LARUS MARINUS, L, 130. 



Some 40 pairs of this species breed on an island on Loch Lee. 

 Their nests are robbed twice, sometimes thrice, in a season, and 

 70 to 80 eggs taken each time. Yet the species shows no symp- 

 toms of diminishing. The last sets of eggs want much of the 

 colouring matter on the shells. A far-inland locality for this 

 species is on a loch near Oykel, where I saw one pair this year. 



