ARCTIC SKUA. 675 



found it breeding at the islands of Jura, Islay, and Rum, in 

 the Hebrides ; and at the present day there are, according 

 to Mr. Gray, several colonies, some of them consisting of 

 forty or fifty pairs, on North and South Uist, Stuala Island, 

 Wiay, Benbecula, and one or two in Lewis. In the Orkneys 

 this species has been observed on almost every island, but 

 the principal breeding-places are in Hoy and the Holm of 

 Eddy, or Eday, as mentioned by Mr. Salmon and Mr. Dunn. 

 In the Shetland group, where this species is known as the 

 ' Shooi' or ' Scoutie-Allen,' it breeds in considerable although 

 decreasing numbers, on the islands of Unst, Yell, Fetlar, 

 Noss, and Foula ; arriving early in May, and leaving in 

 August, or at latest in September. Mr. T. E. Buckley states 

 (Pr. N. H. Soc. Glasgow, 1881, p. 148) that he understands, 

 from Mr. Houston of Kintradwell, that a pair breed regu- 

 larly on a piece of very boggy ground on his shooting ; but 

 Mr. Buckley adds that he has never personally seen the birds 

 in Sutherland during the breeding-season, nor does he know 

 of any one who has, except in the above-mentioned instance. 

 Proof is wanting as regards its nesting on any other part of 

 the mainland of Scotland ; but on migration it is not unfre- 

 quent along the entire coast. 



In Ireland it has been stated, although on insufficient 

 evidence, to have bred near Achil Island ; but it certainly 

 occurs on migration, an exceptionally large flight in a south- 

 westerly direction having been recorded by Mr. R. Warren 

 as observed at the estuary of the Moy in October, 1851, the 

 majority being adults. Some of them appeared fatigued, 

 and would occasionally rest on the water for a few minutes, 

 rising after a short interval and following the course of their 

 companions. Although there were plenty of Gulls flying 

 about while the Skuas were passing, the latter were not 

 observed to chase any during their migration. Mr. Warren 

 has also obtained specimens on the return passage in May. 



On the coasts of England the Arctic Skua generally makes 

 its appearance on the east coast in August, and is not un- 

 common from that month to October. It was unusually 

 abundant off" Yorkshire in the autumn of 1879, the year 



