68 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



after the end of July, or the first week in August 

 at the latest. 



Little Grebe (Podiceps minutus). A pair of little 

 grebes frequented Loch Wasbister, but I saw neither 

 nest nor young ones, although they might quite well 

 have bred without my taking much notice of the 

 fact. The loch is in all respects suited for them. 



Larid^. 



Fara. Sternince. 



Arctic Tern (Sterna inacriira). A summer visitant 

 only, breeding in numbers on the smaller islands, or 

 on any jDlace suitable to them. I never saw more 

 than two eggs in a nest in the Orkneys, whereas on 

 the east coast of Sutherland three is the usual num- 

 ber. They invariably breed in colonies, at least I 

 have never seen a quite solitary pair anywhere. 

 When just hatched the young make a harsh but 

 feeble cry, and try to leave their nests as soon as 

 possible. They are grey, specked with black, and 

 have the legs and bill pink, the latter tipped with 

 black. 



Fam. LarincB. 



Black-headed Gull ( Chroicocephalns ridihinidiisj. 

 Common at any time except the breeding season, 

 though rarely to be found anywhere exceiDt on the 

 i:>loughed lands or close to the shore. A large flock 

 near Westness, after feeding, used to go into the bay 

 close by, wash and clean themselves, and then rest. 



Common Gull (Larus camis). Very abundant ; 

 breeding in some rough stunted heather and lo^v, 

 marshy ground near the sea, and also on most of the 

 smaller islands. From their nests being constantly 

 robbed on the aforesaid stunted heather, the young 

 were very backward, and, when grouse-shooting, 

 bothered the dogs, and, indeed, myself, as the former 

 w^ould invariably point them, and young unfledged 

 gulls were scarcely the sort of game one wanted 

 then. On one or two evenings at Westness great 



