The Zoologist — June, 1870. 2163 



which the scientific writings of Dr. Pallas claim, and justly deserve, 

 from their uniform excellence and accuracy, necessitates no small 

 degree of caution in a decision against the validity of one of his 

 . species. It will be evident upon the least reflection that, for example, 

 such a perfectly valid species as tetraculus, might be so described, in 

 a few sentences, that no striking impression of its difference from 

 cristatellus should be conveyed. It is also to be borne in mind that 

 Prof. Brandt, probably unsurpassed by any one in the accuracy and 

 extent of his knowledge of the Alcidas, and particularly well fitted to 

 judge of Dr. Pallas' works, admits the species in question as distinct. 

 And in the present instance it seems pi-eferable to coincide with the 

 views of these naturalists, and to allow the species to hereafter stand 

 upon its own merits, until the proof that it has none is forthcoming, 

 notwithstanding Dr. H. Schlegel's summary assignment of it (as well 

 as of tetraculus) to cristatellus. 



There is no specimen purporting to represent this species in any 

 American Museum. 



(To be continued.) 



Bird-haunts of the Outer Hebrides. 

 By Theodore C. Walker, Esq. 



(Conlinued from S. S. 2119). 



IV. 



The kittiwake gull, shot down by thousands for its plumes, here at 

 last has found a safe breeding place, secure while the maelstrom of 

 current seethes and rages below — secure though its worst enemy, 

 man, approach from above, for the birds, though shot, will only fall 

 into the water. The lovely birds are flickering within a lew inches of 

 me, as lying perfectly still on a narrow ledge, they again approach 

 their nests, male and female sitting side by side ; and to see their 

 evident rejoicing when they find their eggs have not been taken, 

 murmuring to one another, and crying, is one of those sights which 

 thrill through the heart of a lover of Nature. They select those places 

 which are the most precipitous, with fewest crannies, building their 

 nests against the face of the rock, where the smallest crevice affords a 

 resting place; they generally prefer breeding towards the base of the 

 precipice, out of the way of the foul guillemot-ledges, but they by no 



