456 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
nobody in the locality I am speaking of knew how to drill and blow the 
eggs; but now a person well able to get the eggs is going to do so, and will 
blow them and keep them by him to sell to visitors who may come at any 
time of the year. There are but few visitors in the early part of the year, 
May and June, when the birds are breeding, so they have not been much 
molested by strangers. Money is scarce with the poor people up there; so 
that, now they know how to keep the eggs until visitors come, you may guess 
what chance the few remaining binds nil have of hatching. I need not 
describe the beauty of the bird, nor its flight, nor its boldness in defending 
its nest from intruders. Its courage in swooping down at persons to within 
an inch of their heads must be the admiration of all naturalists, and is 
delightful to see, but this very boldness might easily lead to its destruction. 
On a late occasion some persons got permission to shoot a pair of Arctic 
Skuas, but the Arctics were not the only ones they took away with them, 
“ because they came falling down somehow”! So I was informed. I think— 
as no doubt will everyone who has ever seen the bird—it would be a pity, 
a great loss indeed, should the birds become extinct from man’s cupidity. 
One of the best ways to secure its preservation would probably be to increase 
the number of breeding places. I know of two suitable places, Hascosea 
and Noss; there may be another or two known to some of your readers. 
Lonely places they must be where the Arctic Skua breeds! The 
plan I would propose is to get twenty or thirty Great Skua’s eggs, and 
cause them to be hatched by Arctic Skuas; then the young birds would 
return to breed in the same places, for it seems the Skuas are greatly 
attached to their breeding haunts, and will not forsake them nor leave them 
except they are fairly driven away or killed. Now if they could be established 
in three or four other good places, where perhaps some arrangements might 
be made for their protection (such as, 1 think, Mr. Micklejohn would make 
for Noss) the birds might become numerous again. It would probably take 
two months or more to get the eggs from Iceland,—to make arrangements 
and take care of the eggs whilst hatching,—and, as there would be con- 
siderable expense, I should be glad to help in the matter. It is hardly to be 
expected that anyone would undertake it unaided. From my own experience, 
however, in carrying out a similar plan with Owls, I am sure it might be 
managed, by a suitable person, knowing what to do and how to do it, and 
having time at his disposal. If some enthusiastic naturalist would under- 
take to carry out the plan next year—some one you thought would sueceed— 
perhaps you would receive the subscriptions of those who would like to 
contribute to the preservation of this bird from extinction in the British 
Isles, I think perhaps £20 would serve to get the eggs from Iceland and 
other extra expenses. I commend the matter to the fork of all 
those who would like to preserve our rarer British birds. —W. PuRNELL 
(Bell Street, Henley-on-Thames), 
