Birds. j 9235 
first found about the 24th of May. Guillemots are now (May 81st) 
becoming rather scarce. In places where a man used to take as many 
as seven dozen eggs in a day he now scarcely finds a dozen. 
Snow Bunting.—On the 28th of May, a cold sleety day, with N.E. 
wind, | observed several small parties of snow buntings flying north- 
wards, uttering their usual clear, ringing notes. 
Redshank.—Redshanks are still to be met with upon several parts 
of the shore. 
Longtailed Duck.—Longtailed ducks are still here, but there are 
very few adult birds among them. ; 
Whitelailed Eagle—Whitetailed eagles have hatched in Yell. 
Now and then they pay a visit to this neighbourhood in search of food ~ 
for their young, but I am glad to say they have hitherto kept out of 
reach of guns. 
Arrivals in May.—The following completes the list of arrivals in 
May :— 
May 3. Wind S.E. A sand martin. Very seldom seen here. 
» 9. 4 N.E. A flock of about two hundred heldiaves: 
» 18. ,, N.E. The first whimbrel. 
» 14. 4, N.E. Two bramblings and a willow wren. 
» 17. 4, N.W. Two common sandpipers. 
» 28.  ,, N.E. Land rail. About a week later than usual. 
Skua (Lestris catarractes).—I was unable to ascertain the precise 
date of the skua’s arrival, but the first egg was found on the 14th of 
May. They commonly stay with us from the end of April to the 
end of August. One of the only three breeding-grounds in the 
British islands, and the only one in Unst, is situated upon a hill 
called Hermaness, on the west side of Burrafirth, but there are very 
few skuas there now. Instead of the fifly or sixty pairs which used 
formerly to breed there, only about five pairs now remain, and even 
they will soon disappear. Some*used to be found upon the opposite 
hill of Saxaford, but the last eggs were taken there three years ago. 
In some seasons the skuas select the very top of Hermaness, and in 
others the sloping ground facing the east; sometimes when they are 
much disturbed by egg-gatherers they change their ground two or three 
times in the course of the summer. If you come upon the ground 
soon after their arrival, you will see them flying about overhead, as 
though in doubt as to your intentions. If you have never read the 
fable of the goose and the golden eggs, and are desirous of obtaining 
a shot, you need only toss up a dead gull, or even wave a white hand- 
kerchief, and an opportunity will not long be wanting; but at any time 
