430 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



its eggs when walking across a heathery moor, some twelve hundred feet 

 above the level of the sea, and about ten miles from here. The eggs were 

 placed in a slight hollow between two tufts of heather, and there was little 

 or no nest. The eggs are much like a Kestrel's, but smaller, the markings 

 consist of minute specks, and there are no blotches. One of the eggs, 

 which would well represent the whole for size, measures l - 47 by 1*18 in. — 

 E. A. Swainson (Woodlands, Brecon). 



Black Redstart in Merionethshire. — On April 5th last I shot a Black 

 Iledstart, Ruticilla titys, on the Traeth Maws, an extensive marsh near 

 Penrhyndendraeth, Merionethshire. In its actions when on the ground it 

 closely resembled a Wheatear. It proved to be an immature male, and its 

 gizzard was filled with small beetles, most of which were still entire. — 

 G. H. Caton Haigh (Grainsby Hall, Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire). 



The Protection of Sea Birds on the Fame Islands.— We have been 

 favoured by Mr. Hugh G. Barclay, of Coluey Hall, Norwich, with a report 

 of the results achieved by an association of naturalists in an attempt to 

 protect the sea-birds which resort to the Fame Islands during the nesting 

 season. He says : — " Notwithstanding a certain amount of opposition from 

 fishermen residing near the islands, I think the birds were very fairly 

 protected during the past breeding season. I visited the islands on three 

 occasions, and had no reason to be dissatisfied with what I saw. My last 

 visit was on the 21st of July, and I was glad to see large numbers of young 

 birds of all the species which usually resort to the Fames during the nesting 

 season, thus proving that the means adopted for preserving the eggs had 

 been effectual. The season was a most disastrous one, and large numbers 

 of nestlings were destroyed by the rains and cold weather in the early part 

 of July. This was very apparent on the Inner Fames, where the number 

 of dead nestlings fully confirmed the reports I had occasionally received from 

 the watchers. My limited acquaintance with the islands previous to this 

 year prevents me from giving any comparative statement as to increase or 

 otherwise in any particular species of bird, but it should be borne in mind 

 that during the breeding season of 1887 hardly a single egg was left on the 

 islands before the loth of June, when steps were taken to put a stop to 

 further mischief. The following information may be interesting. The 

 watcher on the Inner Fames reported on the 15th July, — 'I am rather 

 doubtful I will not be able to answer your questions with anything like 

 accuracy, but taking my nearest calculation I think there will be about 

 150 Sandwich Terns hatched off, and as for Arctic and Common Terns, it is 

 impossible for me to give you any idea, for they are so numerous now. 

 About Eider Ducks, we have about sixty-five hatched off. I have got 

 twenty-five Sandwich Terns still sitting, and ten or twelve Eider Ducks not 

 hatched off yet ; and also a great many Arctic and Common Terns.' The 



