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question arises as to what this bird was doing on our coast at this 

 season. Hewitson says it breeds in June and July in Shetland ; 

 probably it is a regular migrant past our shores from its winter 

 home to its breeding stations in numbers, but keeps far out at sea 

 or flies quickly past, as it is so rarely procured. Earlier dates 

 are given for its arrival at its breeding grounds ; but can they be 

 relied on ? Some confusion evidently exists as to this bird. It is 

 said to have been common during the breeding season near the 

 Isle of Man, and to have bred in rabbit holes. Now, the Puffin 

 does breed in holes in the ground ; but those who have taken the 

 eggs of this bird in recent years describe them as been found in 

 almost inaccessible cliffs, amongst stones. Lowe, in his " Fauna 

 Orcadensis," says "the islanders have to risk their lives for the 

 young," and gives a more lengthened description of this species 

 than he does of many of the birds he enumerates ; but at the same 

 time his remarks respecting the risks and difficulties in obtaining 

 birds and eggs, though under the head of this species, must relate 

 to the subject generally. How is it it is so difficult to trace the 

 migrations of so many species of birds which pass our shores to 

 and from their breeding places to their winter quarters ? and 

 where are the winter quarters of so many of those that do 

 periodically pass ? AVillughby describes the Shearwater, and also 

 " the Puffin of the Isle of Man, which he takes to be the Puffinus 

 Anglorum," which he saw taken out of a nest, as " equal in 

 bigness to a tame pigeon." The remainder of his description is 

 taken from birds in the repository of the Royal Society and in 

 Tradescant's cabinet, and which certainly belongs to the Shear- 

 water. The eggs of the Puffin and the Shearwater and the size 

 of the birds being so much alike, I have often supposed confusion 

 has arisen respecting them. C. M. A. (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 

 May 20). [The Shearwater, or Greater Shearwater, has repeat- 

 edly been taken on hooks baited for fish in Mount's Bay, Cornwall, 

 where, the late Mr. Jackson informed us, it sometimes appeared 

 by thousands. The history of this sea bird is still incomplete, 

 and we are glad to receive any information respecting it. Yar- 

 rell's third volume may be studied with much advantage on the 

 subject. ED."] 



