484 The Zoologist — Novkmbeb, 18GG. 



Common and Arctic Terns. — Very numerous. Impossible to 

 distinguish between the eggs of these birds, which were placed in 

 hollows, both on the grassy and stony part of the Island. A great dis- 

 similarity among the eggs in the same nest, both in size and colouring, 

 which induces me to believe that these birds lay their eggs in any 

 nest that comes first to hand. In only one instance 1 found four 

 eggs in a nest. The arctic terns were at least ten to one of the 

 common. 



Roseate Tern. — Said to be a visitor, but I did not meet with a 

 specimen of either the bird or egg. 



Herring Gull. — Tolerably numerous, but scarce in comparison with 

 the next species. The eggs are distinguishable from the lesser black- 

 backed gull's by their greater size and larger blotches of colouring. 

 Nests of dried grass, &c., placed on the bare rock. 



Lesser Blackbacked Gull. — Very numerous. Nests and situation 

 the same as the preceding species. I obtained a beautiful light blue 

 variety of the egg. 



Kiltiwdke. — Plentiful. Nothing unusual about nests or eggs. 



Common Shieldrake. — A pair or two of these birds inhabited some 

 rabbit-burrows, but, on account of their scarcity here, 1 did not disturb 

 them by attempting to exaniiue the nests. 



Eider Duck. — Numerous. These beautiful ducks were very lame, 

 allowing you to approach quite close to them. I obtained some of the 

 down ; when takin from a dead bird it has no elasticity. In one of 

 the nests I found ten eggs, no doubt the produce of two birds, as four 

 or (wQ is the average number of eggs for one bird. The nests are 

 formed outwardly of a kind oi weed, and lined inside with down ; 

 sheltered places among the rocks are the situations most frequently 

 chosen for tlie nest-site. 



Corinoranl. — Numerous, the nests of sea-weed being placed quite 

 close to the edge of a rocky island (North Wamses) that they inhabit. 

 Certainly some of the much advertized disinfecting powder would be 

 a fit present for these birds, to enable them to sweeten their unsavoury 

 abodes. 



Green or Crested Cormorant. — Three pairs of these birds had 

 nested and laid their eggs, but they were unfortunately shot by the 

 fishermen. 



Guillemot. — Very numerous. These birds breed on the Pinnacles 

 (detached rocks rising from the sea), upon the flat tops of which 

 the eggs are deposited, in such numbers that it was impossible to 



