BIRDS. 233 



the islands, we have found them numerous in two places only, 

 Walls in Hoy, and in Eousay. In the latter island it is be- 

 coming much scarcer on account of the war waged against it by 

 the keeper. 



In Walls it is abundant, breeding about some of the hill 

 lochs, and on many of the lesser ridges, where we have often 

 seen their nests. 



Writing us, under date of June 1889, Mr. Moodie-Heddle 

 says : " Here (referring to Hoy) any one can create a breeding- 

 place of the Lesser Black-backed Gull by burning a large tract 

 late in the season : the Gulls then come on the bare ground 

 through the following summer and autumn to catch moths and 

 winged insects which have no heather left to go down into. 

 They then usually begin to breed on the tufts of white moss 

 left unburnt, the following season. The breeding-places by the 

 Water of Hoy, and down to Pegal Burn, were thus formed 

 by accidental fires. No gulls bred there for many years 

 before, and we could kill 60 or 70 brace more grouse." 



The statement by Messrs. Baikie and Heddle that this 

 species is commonest in winter is not borne out by our valued 

 correspondent Mr. Irvine-Fortescue, who expressly states that 

 he never saw one at that season. He notes that none had 

 appeared about Swanbister by the end of February 1888. 



Larus marinus, L. Great Black-backed Gull. 

 Ore. = Black-lacked Maw. Swartback (Low). 



Eesident and widely distributed, there being few islands that have 

 not a pair or two of these fine birds breeding on them. 



On an island iu the Loch of Swannay Mr. E. S. Cameron of 

 Burgar informs us that there is a large colony of this species 

 breeding, and that they are so numerous there that twelve dozen 

 eggs have been taken at one time. The nests are situated in 

 the midst of bunches of yellow king-cup, nettles, wild sorrel 

 and rushes, and are made of dried grass and stalks. This is the 

 only colony known to us, but Mr. Millais informs us that there 

 is another on Skerry. 



