THE ZOOLOGIST. 
THIRD SERIES. 
Vou. IV.] JANUARY, 1880. [No. 37. 
ON THE SKUAS AND SOME OTHER BIRDS OBSERVED 
IN THE SHETLAND ISLANDS. 
By Howarp Savunpers, F.L.S., F.Z.8., &c. 
Havine recently spent a month in the Shetland Islands for 
the express purpose of observing the two species of Skuas which 
breed there, and of examining the different stages of their young, 
it is natural that I should have read with interest the remarks 
of Mr. Purnell (Zool., 1879, p. 455), on the dangers which, 
in his opinion, threaten the Great Skua (Stercorarius catarrhactes). 
No one can fail to admire, and be anxious to preserve, these 
magnificent birds, whose boldness would speedily bring about 
their extermination, if any one wished to kill them down; but 
whilst cordially sympathising with Mr. Purnell in his desire to 
see them protected, it is possible that his fears for their extinction 
are hardly warranted by the facts, and may be the result of 
exaggerated or inaccurate statements made to him. In those 
islands the “ Bonxie” is a bird much talked of, not only by 
those who know it well, but by many persons who really know 
next to nothing about it. So far from the Great Skua having 
diminished in numbers during the last few years, it has certainly, 
so far as its breeding-place in Unst is concerned, become more 
abundant than when Dr. Saxby wrote, and, except from the 
inclement summer, I do not think its numbers have suffered 
in 1879. My friend, Mr. Abel Chapman, of Sunderland, who 
was there last May, found five pairs of birds and several 
nests with eggs, or rather, speaking from memory, with but one 
egg in some cases instead of the usual two, probably owing to 
B 
