THE FULMAR 99 



quite at the top of the cliffs and protected by the over- 

 hanging summit" — (see also later on under Handa). The 

 first occupants almost invariably select the most inaccessible 

 places. Hence very likely later arrivals, or younger birds 

 bred there, are driven off by the older or parent birds to 

 search for similar safe sites elsewhere — a wise provision of 

 Nature to provide for the establishment of the race " over- 

 seas," as in the case of even human emigrants, who leave 

 Britain to take up homes in foreign lands or establish new 

 dominions. 



A second colony, with little doubt an overflow from 

 Foula, about 1891 reached and possessed the Horn of Papa, 

 off Papa Stour, opposite to Foula. Here the nests were 

 again selected under overhanging cliff-tops, and in the most 

 secure situations. But little increase took place by 1895, 

 when A. H. Evans visited the place. It seems possible that 

 some accounts become exaggerated in passing from one 

 observer to another, but we believe the truer explanation of 

 such differences may lie in the simple fact — as already 

 stated — that newer arrivals, or younger birds, get driven off 

 because the safer sites are all or nearly all already taken up. 



In due course other colonisations took place at Calder's 

 Geo, Eshaness (Mainland), in 1896, where a pair was seen 

 in 1895 — auct. Thomas Thomason, crofter at Priesthoulland ; 

 and at Hermaness (Unst), by 1897 — auct. O. A. J. Lee, who 

 that year counted about eleven pairs at Humla Stack, twenty- 

 eight on Flouravoug, five on Neap, and thirteen on Tonga. 

 In 1897 R. Godfrey saw Fulmars on the following three 

 localities at Saxavord (Unst) — namely, Leerawick, the north 

 face, and Ruska Kame. They were also reported on the 

 Ramna Stacks, at the extreme north of Mainland ; and at 

 Noup of Noss, on the east, near Lerwick, they were found 

 breeding in June 1898 (R. Godfrey, Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 

 l8 99> P- 53)- At Fitful Head, in the south of Mainland, a 

 pair or two were first seen in 1900, and in 1905 there were 

 about thirty pairs nesting (N. B. Kinnear, ibid., 1905, p. 246). 

 On Whalsey and Yell they were breeding in 1906 (J. S. 

 Tulloch, ibid.) 1906, p. 240). To Isle of Uyea, north-west 

 point of Mainland, they are reported to have come in 1902 



