THE PENTLAND SKERRIES. 59 



naturalists, and that this may bring forth fruit in the discovery of 

 species yet unrecorded from their islands, which may turn up at 

 these two most interesting times of the year spring and autumn. 

 It may not be uninteresting to note that in 1804 the Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull and Eider Duck were found breeding on the 

 Pentland Skerries by a Mr. Simmonds, when on a tour round 

 the northern lighthouses with Eobert Stevenson, the eminent 

 engineer. 



