30 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



occasion slie had viewed with indifference. Once, however, 

 she faced the lens and sat for a few minutes, but becoming 

 scared, shuflled off auain. In the meantime some wandering 

 Gulls had espied the eggs and were hovering dangerously 

 near. At the sight of these both old birds rose from the water 

 and vociferating loudly flew after them. In doing so they 

 espied us in our lair, 'i'hen the game was up, for they left the 

 loch at once. We had other causes for annoyance, for a 

 couple of women tending their cows had become overpowered 

 by curiosity, and had drawn near with their whole herd, 

 thus effectually putting a stop to any further attempts. For no 

 sooner had one cow become disentangled from the string 

 than another would blindly run into it. On approaching the 

 nest the bird would swim swiftly inshore, push itself breast 

 foremost up the bank, and waddle^ not shuffle along the ground 

 as generally described, on to the eggs. Before settling down 

 she would stand upright and arrange the eggs beneath her. 

 On leaving she w^ould slide dowm the incline into the water 

 and dive noiselessly. While the hen was sitting the male would 

 be within thirty yards. He would accompany her to the land- 

 ing-place. Often she would approach the island by a series 

 of long dives, remaining as long as a minute and a half under 

 water. When alarmed she would raise her wings above her head 

 and dip her head under water in a peculiar way in the intervals 

 of eyeing the camera, evidently an outward and visible sign of her 

 uneasiness. I wish to draw attention to a habit of this Diver 

 of which mention will be found in the " Ootheca Wolleyana," 

 vol. ii. p. 415. This I have had the opportunity of observing 

 once last year. The bird was descending from some hill loch 

 to the sea to fish, hurtling dowmwards with incredible speed, 

 and the noise made by the air rushing through the primaries 

 sounded like the roar of an express train. 



Little Grebe, Podiceps fluviatilis^ Tunstall. — Undoubtedly on the 

 increase. I have seen pairs in even the most barren and 

 uninviting-looking lochs. In 1906 I found a nest with five 

 eggs, and this year one with four, among the reeds. 



NOTES ON COLEOPTERA FROM ST. KILDA. 



By Prof. T. Hudson Beare, F.R.S.E., F.E.S. 



Two collections of Coleoptera have recently been made on 

 the island of St. Kilda ; the first w^as made by Mr. James 

 Waterston, B.Sc, of Edinburgh, who was on the island from 



