Ilo THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 
be seen.” Mr Edwardson, who for thirty-one years has 
spent the summer in his little hut on North Unst, noticed 
some there last year, and there was a smaller colony 
on another stack farther west, but as they were on the 
north side it was impossible to say how many pairs were 
there. Mr Edwardson is certain that they have not nested 
there previously. Mr Meade Waldo adds that the colony 
on Noss which we mentioned in our 1915 Report, now has 
ten pairs nesting. This is a very important extension of 
one of our most interesting breeding birds. 
Wigeon bred in the Kilpatrick Hills in 1920, egg-shells 
and down were taken and the parent birds seen; this is the 
first time the species has been recorded as nesting in the 
Clyde area. The extension of Fulmars down the East Coast 
continues in a satisfactory manner, several pairs were seen 
breeding at Troup Head on 26th July (1. 1920, 171); on 
21st June we saw an egg on the cliffs at Fowlsheugh, where 
in 1914 we saw the birds coming up to the ledges, but could 
not prove actual nesting. This year we saw ten to twelve 
pairs (1. 1920, 171). The species was also found breeding 
on the cliffs) at St Abbs (1.1920, 170)..” Whe spread vofmthe 
Fulmar round our coasts is one of the ornithological marvels 
of modern times, the speed with which the species has 
extended its range is almost unprecedented. 
INCREASE AND DECREASE OF SCOTTISH BREEDING 
SPECIES. 
It is difficult to discover why the number of breeding 
birds should vary from year to year as it certainly does. 
The cold wet summer of 1920 does not seem to have had 
very much effect on the numbers of our insect-eating birds. 
From the Kilpatrick Hills we hear of increasing numbers 
of Ravens, Peregrines, and Sparrowhawks; Starlings are 
reported to be increasing “at a terrible rate” in North 
Uist (1. 1920, 150), but this might be said of many parts 
of Scotland, where the bird is rapidly becoming a pest. 
Reed-buntings and Meadow-pipits were unusually plentiful 
at Corsemalzie (Wigtown), where Wood-warblers, Sedge- 
warblers and Whitethroats were also numerous. Blackcaps, 
