9126 Birds. . 
young lambs and weakly foals will have less to dread from their metci- 
less foes, the ravens. 
Lesser Blackbacked Gull—Most of our summer visitors have now 
arrived. Lesser blackbacked gulls appeared on the 8th of April (wind 
S.E.), and are now revisiting their nesting-places, where there are 
already many nearly-completed nests of the herring gull. 
Wheatear.—On the 14th of April a stiff breeze from S.E. brought 
the first few wheatears, and the song of these welcome birds has since 
been almost constantly heard. The greater number appear first upon 
the hills, but they very soon descend to the low grounds, preferring 
such as are stony and irregular, and intersected by those loosely built 
stone walls in which they so love to conceal their nests. Com- 
paratively few wheatears breed among the hills. 
Arctic Tern.—The first arctic tern was seen on the 23rd of April 
(wind S.S.E.), but that was early, and there are very few here yet. 
Redwing.—The only other arrival that I observed was that of a 
small party of redwings, which appeared, with a S.W. wind, on the 
morning of the 13th of April. They left during the following night. 
Blackheaded Gull.—Blackheaded gulls remain with us all the year: 
they are now in full plumage, and pairs are to be met with upon most 
of the small lochs near the sea. 
Whitetuiled Eagle.—Whitetailed eagles are sitting. The nest in 
Yell contained the first egg on the 20th of April. A pair of these birds 
visited the island of Balta three days ago, and committed some havoc 
among the lambs. Their foot-prints were very distinct in the sand 
upon which a partly-devoured ewe was lying. 
Longtailed Duck.—A considerable number of longtailed ducks 
(Anas glacialis) still remain, although many pairs were flying north- 
wards on the 22nd of April. I have seen a few as late as the last week 
of May, but they were, without exception, immature birds. The old 
ones nearly all pair before leaving, but young ones continue in flocks 
or small parties as long as they remain here. The cry is still con- 
stantly to be heard, particularly in fine clear weather, when it is easily 
distinguishable at the distance of a mile or more; even upon a fine 
moonlight night, whether the birds are flying overhead or sitting 
quietly upon the water, whole flocks may be heard uttering their well- 
known “ cal-calloo,” both old and young joining in chorus, in which 
the more clear and musical tones of the former are distinctly to be 
recognized. Every listener has some pleasing association connected 
with the cry, and to me it irresistibly calls to mind the voice of a child 
who is still too young to speak. Authors seem to have come to the 
