The Zoologist— OctobeU, 1870. 2325 



until the end of the month. I never but in one instance saw more 

 than two eggs in a nest. Once I obtained three, and as I have taken 

 a single egg from a nest hard sat on, it appears they do not always 

 lay two, which, however, we may take to be the general number. 

 The nest is nothing more than a few pieces of dried hay laid in a hole 

 scratched in the ground, always in the vicinity of water, and I never 

 saw it on a real snow fell. Although these birds live in colonies, you 

 do not find the nests close together. None breed close to Quickiock, 

 but in the fells about thirty miles to the west they breed in great 

 quantities. No bird is more tame or fearless than the skua during 

 the time they have eggs, for they come sailing close over your head 

 when searching for the nest, performing the most beautiful airy 

 gyrations, their long sharp wings and pointed tail giving them a single 

 and pretty appearance when in the air. * * * Their principal 

 food appears to be the common crowberry [Empetrum nigrum), a 

 large beetle, and small Crustacea. I never saw anything except crow- 

 berries in the inside of young ones." — Spring and Summer in 

 Lapland, p. 357.] 



Greater Shearwater. — Occasionally seen, and specimens obtained 

 from Mount's Bay; well known at Scilly, where it goes by the name 

 ofhackbolt." 



Manx Shearwater. — Well known at Scilly^ where it annually 

 breeds in rabbit-holes, — known there by the name of" coccathrodon." 

 See an interesting account of this species in Yarrell's ' British Birds,' 

 vol. iii., p. 509, from the pen of Mr. D. W. Mitchell, formerly of this 

 town, and afterwards Secretary to the Zoological Society of London, 

 Egg glossy, pure white. 



Fulmar Petrel. — Very rarely observed in the South of England : 

 one specimen taken alive at the Land's End, and another reported to 

 have been captured in Mount's Bay. 



Wilson's Petrel. — One specimen only obtained from Cornwall, and 

 this was found dead in a field near Polperro ; it passed into the hands 

 of Mr. Couch, who forwarded it to Mr. Yarrell, whose figure of this 

 bird was taken from the Cornish specimen. 



Forktailed Petrel. — Several specimens of this small petrel have from 

 time to time been obtained on our coasts, and it is not uncommonly 

 met with very far inland, generally dead or in an exhausted state. 



Storm Petrel. — Of frequent occurrence in the summer months, and 

 observed at a distance of five or six miles out in Mount's Bay, some- 

 times in small flocks, in fine summer evenings at sunset, flying and 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. V. 3 C 



