BIRDS. 205 



scarcer. Mr. Watt remarks that at Skaill they are rare, and 

 that he has not seen one for a good many years. 



Mr. Irvine-Fortescue saw a pair on the " Barrel of Butter " 

 formerly called "Carline Skerry" on 26th May 1884. 

 There were no eggs of any sort on the Skerry, but, as a 

 boat had visited it a day or two previously, the reason was 

 obvious. 



The Turnstone remain at times well into, if not through 

 the nesting season, and we have seen them ourselves on the 

 "Grand," the eastern point of Egilsay, in June and July in 

 full summer plumage. Mr. Millais has also seen them near the 

 Black Craig at the end of June. 



Some time ago we had been informed that a Turnstone's 

 nest had been found by Mr. Begg, Stromness, and Mr. Moodie- 

 Heddle has kindly sent us the following notes which he got 

 from Mr. Begg himself : 



" Begg says he was on hard ground on the hill above 

 Dwarfie Hammer's (Hoy), and between that and the Tronic 

 Glen, and, the bird rising near him, he shot it, and afterwards 1 

 found the nest. He thought the skin went to Tristram also 

 with one egg, but would not be certain from memory; he 

 (Begg) is not a young man, having been in my father's employ- 

 ment in 1846. Begg, by the way, said that Dunn would not 

 believe about the eggs being Turnstone's until he compared 

 them with Norwegian examples that he had, and was then 

 compelled to admit that they were genuine." J. G. M.-H. in 

 lit., May 8th, 1890." 



Mr. Begg himself informed us that he shot the bird and got 

 the nest of three eggs in 1860. Canon Tristram got the bird 

 and one egg, and Mr. Moodie-Heddle and Hubbard one egg 

 each. 



Knowing the very great interest that would naturally attach 

 to a British Turnstone's egg, we made special inquiries with 

 the result that none of these eggs are now forthcoming, nor, 

 from the position of the nest, is it likely that it belonged to a 

 Turnstone. As will be seen by a reference to the description, 

 the bird was first shot and the nest afterwards found. 

 1 These Italics are ours. 



