140 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



fine view of an adult Iceland Gull in a potato field, but not 

 having a gun with us, could not secure the specimen. Mr 

 F. Johnson shot one on Loch Bracadale in the winter of 

 1881-82, and Captain Macdonald has also met with it. 



Rissa tridactyla. — Eesident ; numbers nidificating at a 

 large station at Greshornish, others near Waternish, and 

 many more at Eiste. In 1885, the fishermen pointed out 

 to me a nest on which a Kittiwake was still sitting, on 

 July 16th, adding that they had watched this solitary bird 

 for three weeks without seeing her leave her charge. 



Stercorarius crepiclatus. — Irregular autumnal visitant, ob- 

 served by Captain Macdonald and Mr Dumville Lees. Mr 

 H. Macdonald also described to me the movements of a pair 

 which he had observed at Portree plundering the Gulls. (I 

 have seen it at Strome Ferry.) 



Procellaria pelagica. — Summer visitant, nesting sparingly 

 on one Ascrib Islet, where it is decreasing, owing to the in- 

 crease of Puffins, which take possession of its burrows, and 

 sometimes kill the proper owner. The one white egg is 

 placed at the extremity of the burrow, and is incubated by 

 one bird at a time, the other remaining at sea during the 

 day. A few dry straws form the nest lining. In 1884, I 

 took an Qgg on June 26th, which was quite fresh ; the birds 

 being special favourites of my host, Captain Macdonald, I 

 declined to open any more nests. The late Mr John Mac- 

 gillivray is cited in Yarrell, for stating that this Petrel breeds 

 " at Dunvegan Head;" but I believe that he was mistaken. 

 Mr K. Gray alludes also to its breeding near Dunvegan, but 

 I do not think it breeds nearer than the Ascribs, where it is 

 carefully preserved. Pennant states, "In August 1772, I 

 found them [Storm Petrels] on the rocks called Macdonald's 

 Table, off the north end of Skye, so conjecture they breed 

 there. They lurked under the loose stones, but betrayed 

 themselves by their twittering noise" ("Brit. ZooL," 1812, 

 vol. ii, p. 210). 



Puffinus aiiglorum. — Summer visitant, chiefly observed in 



Note. — Fiilmarus glaciaUs. — Early in 1880 a dead Fulmar was found on a 

 hill above Struan. Others have been washed up on our west Skye coast in 

 winter. 



