LVI. 

 LESTRIS CATARRACTES. (temm.) 



Skua Gull. 



Shetland alone, amongst the British islands, is the resort 

 of this noble and rare bird during the breeding season. It is 

 there, even in small numbers, and confined to three very limi- 

 ted localities, to which it returns year after year. On the 

 island of Unst, the property of Mr. Edmonston, I saw only 

 three pairs, which he informed me had been the number for 

 a length of time : here thev had chosen the summit of the 

 island, and seem particularly partial to high ground. Rona's 

 Hill, the highest on the islands, is another place of their 

 choice ; and, although here, they rear their young on the 

 low ground at the base of the mountain, yet they may con- 

 stantly be seen soaring, eagle-like, over its misty top. This 

 remote and solitary place had been the undisturbed resort of 

 numbers, until visited the year previous to our being there, 

 by a man of the name of Uunn. a bird-stuffer, of Hull, who, 

 devoid of the feelings of a naturalist, or admiration of the 

 birds themselves, or decent regard for those of the kind and 

 hospitable people by whom he was entertained, and upon 

 whose property he was allowed unrestricted liberty to roam, 

 took up his residence at the spot, in order, the more effect- 

 ually, to destroy those birds which are considered by the peo- 

 ple as their friends, and the protectors of their flocks against 

 the Eagles ; in this he found no difficulty, and succeeded in 

 almost (•xtirj)ating them, not more than ten or twelve remain- 

 ing the following year. Here all the eggs which we found 

 were of the deep colour of Fig. 1 ; most of those which I 

 afterwards saw on Foula Avere lighter, and more nearly re- 

 sembling Fig. 2 ; whilst one was nearly white, bleached, T 

 should suppose, by the almost constant moisture of the moun- 



