864 The Zoologist — August, 1867. 



Puffin. — Also decreasing in numbers. 



Razorbill. — Plentiful. 



Cormorant. — Abundant on Badcall Islands, and increasing in 

 numbers on Handa, where they were introduced by Mr. Maclvor, the 

 Duke's factor at Scowrie. 



Shag. — Abundant. 



Gannet. — Generally seen on the north coast, but comes much 

 further south sometimes after herrings, &c. 



Common {and Arctic ?) Tern. — Common on the east, but rare on 

 the west coast. We only saw one pair in Assynt. 



Black-headed Gull.— Plentiful on the east coast, as at Loch Migdale, 

 but scarce on west. Used to breed at a small loch at base of Canisb 

 Mountain, but were not present there this season. 



Kitliwake. — Abundant on Handa. 



Common Gull. — Abundant. 



Lesser Blackbacked Gull. — The most numerous species in West 

 Sutherland ; large colonies on Lochs Uiigiland Skennaskink (Cromarty) 

 and on the Badcall Islands. 



Herring Gull. — By no means an abundant species ; we only took 

 two nests on the Badcall Islands. 



Great Blackbacked Gull. — A colony on Handa, and a pair or two 

 found bleeding on many of the lochs. 



Richardson's Skua. — One shot at Handa; rare on west coast, 

 common on east. 



To the above list of course many species might be added, including 

 winter migrants, but it is better to avoid entering them in it at all. 

 There must also, I think, be other birds found breeding amongst the 

 three hundred lochs of Assynt and the two hundred and fifty of 

 Edderachyllis, if they were thoroughly explored. The scaup, for iu- 

 stance, has only once been discovered breeding, and such a bird as the 

 pintail duck might breed just as readily. There are many lochs which 

 have never had the angler's fly cast over them, and which, have never 

 been explored by any ornithologist, and it was only in 1834 that such 

 birds as the blackthroated diver, widgeon, wild goose, &c, were known 

 to breed in the wilds of Sutherland. I can only offer the above 

 imperfect list as it is, hoping that some other will extend it to its 

 rightful length, and that it may prove to have some interest for some 

 of the readers of the ' Zoologist/ I have been much indebted to Mr. 



