THE FULMAR ioi 



The earliest positive record of Fulmars breeding in 

 Orkney appears to be that of the late James Tomison, who 

 observed them nesting at Hoy Head in 1900, in 1901 about 

 thirty to forty nests, and in 1902 over fifty (Ann. Scot. Nat. 

 Hist. y 1904, p. 94). But there is some evidence that they 

 were there a few years earlier, for Mr Ground tells us {British 

 Birds, 191 1, p. 198) that in May 1896 he found a dead 

 Fulmar at Stromness containing " a fully-shelled egg ready 

 for extrusion," and was informed at the time that a few pairs 

 had established themselves on Hoy. 1 According to E. B. 

 Dunlop {Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist., 191 1, p. 246) there were 

 hundreds of pairs breeding last year between Kame and the 

 Old Man of Hoy ; they have also greatly increased further 

 south on the west coast of the island, and have now put in 

 an appearance (three pairs) at the south end. Strangely 

 enough, A. H. Evans when visiting the Hoy cliffs the same 

 season in a motor-launch did not see a trace of the birds 

 there from below. 



On 8th June 1901, a number of Fulmars were seen build- 

 ing nests in Westray {Ann. Scot. Nat Hist., 1902, p. 199), 

 and during the summer of 1907 several pairs were observed 

 frequenting the cliffs between Stromness and Bay of Skaill 

 (J. Walpole-Bond, Country Life, ;th December 1907). Lastly, 

 there is the statement over the initials " M. S. " in the 

 Scotsman of 22nd July 191 1, that six or eight pairs were 

 nesting that summer on the cliffs of Deerness (east side of 

 Mainland), and also on Copinshay. 



As regards Stack and Skerry - there is not much to relate. 

 In July 1889, Harvie-Brown saw one solitary Fulmar circling 

 round the Stack — the Orkney home of the Gannet — evidently 

 taking a careful survey of its position and " bold-to " aspect, 

 with perhaps a view to future occupancy. This bird had the 

 usual grey mantle, but with slightly darker markings on the 

 back — probably indicating youth. 



During the spring of 1901, and again in 1902, one or two 



1 The year 1891 has been several times cited in error as the date of 

 their first nesting in Hoy (cf. British Birds, March 1912, p. 287). 



2 Frequently, but as we have elsewhere shown, erroneously called 

 Sule Skerry.— J. A. H.-B. 



