The Annals 



of 



Scottish Natural History 



No. 6] 18 9 3 [April. 



REPORT ON THE GREAT SKUA (STERCORARIUS 

 CATARRHACTES) IN SHETLAND DURING 

 THE NESTING SEASON OF 1892. 



By Wm. Eagle Clarke, F.L.S. 



Foula. — Mr. Frank Traill, who spent a considerable 

 portion of the past summer in this island, kindly informs 

 us that careful preparations were made by the proprietor to 

 protect the eggs of this bird from the raids of any stranger 

 who might visit Foula during the nesting season ; and that 

 these were carried out with complete success. Many of, or 

 all, the eggs of the first laying, and part of the second, were, 

 however, again taken by the natives, which is much to be 

 regretted ; and some of these, about a dozen, Mr. Traill saw 

 on sale in Kirkwall, for which the sum of ten shillings each 

 was demanded. It is satisfactory to know, however, that 

 from sixty to seventy young Great Skuas were reared In 

 Foula this year. We are much obliged to Mr. Traill for 

 the above information. 



UNST. — Regarding this species in its most northern 

 British breeding haunts, and how it fared there during the 

 past season, we quote the letter which Mr. Thomas Edmond- 

 ston addressed to " The Times " of 1 1 th October 1S92 on 

 the subject, as follows : 



6 1: 



