S The Scottish Naturalist. 



ornithologists for the remarkable arrival of Skuas on all our 

 eastern shores. During the months of October and November 

 they appeared in unaccountable numbers, more especially the 

 Pomatorhine ; many were killed on the Tay, as well as elsewhere 

 in Scotland and in England, both of the above species being 

 got in all the different stages of plumage. It is doubtful whether 

 or not the two other species, the Great Skua {Stercorarius 

 catarrhades, Gray) and Long-tailed or Buffon's Skua (S. longi- 

 caudus, Vieill.), did not visit the locality at the same time. 



Procellaria glacialis, Linn. (Fulmar.) 



Mr Nelson mentions to me one example of this bird, which 

 was caught alive a few years ago on Tents Muir, and seemingly 

 in a dying condition. The Fulmar Petrel is nowhere common 

 on our east coasts, but there are occasional instances of its 

 being driven on shore in many different places. 



Puffinus anglorum, Bliss. (Manx Shearwater.) 



What I fully believe to have been a bird of this species I have 

 noticed near the mouth of the Tay, but have received no men- 

 tion of its ever having been noticed there by any of the Dundee 

 naturalists ; but as this Shearwater is well known to me, and 

 breeds in Orkney and Shetland, from whence it may possibly 

 stray, I am probably right in my conjecture. 



Thalassidroma pelagica, Vig. (Storm Petrel.) 



I have never noticed this species myself on the Tay, but Mr 

 Nelson informs me that he has twice seen the Storm Petrel on 

 the river, and on each occasion immediately after a severe gale. 

 Mr Horn also mentions its capture on Loch Tay. No doubt, 

 like some other sea-birds noticed there, it was driven off the 

 western coast in some of the prevailing gales from that quarter. 



In concluding the above list of birds of the district here 

 selected, it will be necessary to make a few remarks in explana- 

 tion. A glance at the map will show that what I have desig- 

 nated the basin of the Tay comprises the whole of the water- 

 shed, consisting of a large area in the very centre of Scotland, 

 containing a considerable extent of mountain, lake, rich arable 

 land, and sea, giving a bird-fauna at once large and interesting. 

 This tract, stretching from the head of Loch Lydon, near the 

 entrance of Glencoe in Argyle, the head of Glen Dochart and 



