Notes on Stela Sgeir and North Bona, with List of Birds. 65 



long grass near the centre. They were very wikl, and I could 

 not procure a specimen, which I very much wished to do. 



As we were returning to the boat I observed a number of 

 seals on an outlying rock, but as they did not permit of a 

 near approach, I could not determine the species. 



The rock of which both Eona and Sula Sgeir are composed 

 is, according to MacCulloch, gneiss, alternating with beds of 

 hornblende schist, equalling or exceeding it in quantity, and 

 traversed by granite veins. 



About twelve noon I returned on board the "Medina," 

 and having seen all sail made, turned in, with the gratifica- 

 tion of imagining that I had contributed my small mite in 

 the way of ornithological discovery. 



List of birds observed on Eona and Sula Sgeir : — 



Falco peregrinus (Tunstall), Peregrine Falcon. — I observed 

 a pair of these birds hovering near the south-west part of the 

 cliff on North Eona, where, I have no doubt, they had a nest, 

 from the outcry they made when that portion of the island 

 was approached. 



Saxicola mnanthe (Linn.), Wheatear. 



Anthus pratensis (Linn.), Meadow Pipit. 



Anthus ohscurtis (Lath.), Eock Pipit. 



These three species I observed on Eona only, and only in 

 very small numbers. 



Phcdacrocorax gramdus (Linn.), Shag. — This species was 

 largely represented on both islands. On Sula Sgeir they 

 bred in the huts and under the large stones, while on Eona 

 they bred in the crevices and fissures of the cliffs, and under 

 the rocks which had fallen from above. 



Sida hassana (Linn.), Gannet. — The gannets now breed 

 only on Sula Sgeir, to which they may give the name. 

 Gannets are said to have bred at one time on Eona, but on 

 this point we have no authentic information. If true, I 

 imagine the nests must have been placed on the cliffs. Some 

 idea of the vast numbers of gannets frequenting Sula Sgeir 

 during the breeding season may be formed from the fact that 

 from 2000 to 2500, and in some years as many as 3000 

 young birds are taken, being more than double the number 

 VOL. VIII. E 



