86 Mr. C. Dixon on the 



TrINGA ALPINA. 



Although Gray states positively that the Dunlin breeds on 

 St. Kilda, I fancy there must besonne mistake. I never saw 

 a trace of this species^ and certainly on St. Kilda and Doon 

 there are no suitable nesting-places for it^ whatever there 

 may be on Soay or Borreay. It is doubtless an occasional 

 visitor. Macgillivray saw several pairs. 



SCOLOPAX GALLINAGO. ''Niiskiu.^' 



The Common Snipe is said to be a resident on St. Kilda, 

 but none of the natives have ever seen its eggs. I carefully 

 explored all the little marshy places in the island, but with- 

 out success. 



? ScoLOFAX RUSTicuLA. " Ootacac.^' 



A description of a bird with a long bill, which Donald 

 M'Queen gave me, I could only refer to the Woodcock. He 

 said that it was a residetit on St. Kilda, but so shy that the 

 natives rarely get a glimpse of it. The Woodcock probably 

 passes these islands on migration. He described it as skulk- 

 ing closely under the shelter of large stones or heaps of turf, 

 especially near marshy places. 



Larus marinus. " Farspach." 



The Great Black-backed Gull is common in St. Kilda, and 

 breeds in more or less abundance on Doon, and I think on 

 Soay. It is much disliked by the natives, for it robs the Ful- 

 mar^s nests incessantly and destroys large numbers of Guille- 

 mot's eggs. A bird of this species tore to pieces a Puffin 

 wliich I had shot, as it lay on the sea, in spite of several shots 

 I had at it with a rifle. Its note is a harsh cac cac cac. 



Larus fuscus. 



The Lesser Black-backed Gull breeds in considerable num- 

 bers on St. Kilda and the adjoining islands and "stacks.^" 



Larus argentatus. 



The Herring-Gull also breeds on St. Kilda, Doon, and 

 Borreay, and probably on Soay and the " stacks.^' It is not 

 very comnion, and I did not obtain any oE its eggs. 



