9232 Birds. 
‘Snipes.—On the 4th of May I met with great numbers of snipes, 
both upon the hills and in low marshy ground. Most of them were in 
pairs, but a few were seen singly. One rose from beside a burn, and 
within a couple of yards of the same spot I nearly set my foot upon 
another; it sat crouching among the heather, perfectly motionless, with 
the head lower than the body, until I again moved, when it flew off, 
uttering its usual cry as it rose. I have not seen any eggs yet, but 
there are doubtless plenty about, for young birds are always to be found 
by the end of May. Although the snipe begins to lay so early, it is 
not at all uncommon for the peat-boys to bring home fresh eggs during 
the first two weeks of August. 
Common Bunting.—Common buntings arrive in large flocks regu- 
larly every autumn, but only a very few remain with us during the 
breeding season. This year the greater number left on the 8th of May, 
with a stiff breeze from N.E. 
Curlew.—Curlews have been pairing and retiring to the hills for 
several weeks past, and none are now remaining upon the shores. The 
first eggs were brought to me on the 15th of May; they were found by 
a small pool in a peat moor near Hermaness. 
Rock Pipit.— Rock pipits were building very early in May. 
The nests are extremely abundant in the islands of Balta and Hunie, 
where they are to be found among loose rocks high up in the cliffs, 
under large stones upon the level ground above, and even in rabbit- 
burrows. The nest is composed of short, dry grass, sometimes with a 
few horse-hairs inside, and not unfrequently some small pieces of dry 
sea-weed are added to the outer part. The eggs are shorter and 
rounder than those of the sky lark, but are sometimes very similar to 
them in colour. 
Richardson’s Skua.—Richardson’s skuas arrived on the 6th of May, 
and at once took up their quarters at the breeding grounds upon Her- 
maness and Vallafiel, but no eggs have yet been found. 
Cormorant and Shag.—Cormorants and shags. are sitting; the 
former commenced laying on the 16th of May; the latter on the 7th. 
The eggs of the shag vary greatly in shape, some being roundish, others 
_pointed at one end, and others again narrow and greatly elongated. 
Cormorants nest apart from other species in the precipitous cliffs of 
one of the North Skerries: the eggs of the second laying are often very 
small. Both cormorants and shags keep to the nest almost continually 
after the first egg has been deposited. 
Merlin.—On the 15th of May I saw a female merlin fly out from her 
nest, which was placed upon a ledge of rock about fifty feet from the 
