40 REPORT OF THE MEETINGS FOR 1899 



They seem ever to be on the watch for unguarded nests of 

 the Eider Duck, and round the nest of a Herring Gull, 

 which Mr Paynter and I took this year, on the rocks 

 opposite to the Pinnacles, we found the remains of quite a 

 number of Guillemot's eggs, which had been carried to the 

 neighbourhood of the gull's nest and there devoured. The 

 Kittiwake is still an abundant breeding species. 



Puffins {Fratercula arctica) seem to have increased as much 

 as any bird upon the islands during recent years, and 

 flourishing colonies inhabit the burrows on the Wawmses, 

 Noxes, and Brownsman. The tops of the Pinnacles are as 

 closely crowded as of yore by swarms of Guillemots {Uria 

 troile), and as we watch an individual wing its way in from 

 the sea, and, alighting upon the backs of its densely packed 

 companions, proceed to elbow its way in amongst them, it is 

 difficult to believe that each mother can recognise her own 

 young one, or locate the exact spot where her own particular 

 egg is lying amongst the crowd. Be that as it may however, 

 the eggs are hatched, the young are reared, and nature is 

 satisfied, and the pleasures of incubation do not seem to be 

 in the least interfered with by any doubt arising in the 

 parent's mind as to whether or not the egg she is sitting 

 upon may really have been laid by herself. It is a 

 thoroughly democratic and good-natured community upon 

 which the eye rests, and save for an occasional open-mouthed 

 demonstration that one is treading upon another's toes, or 

 a little bickering, all is harmony amongst the serried ranks. 

 A good many, more or less bridled birds, are always visible, 

 but really good examples of the Ringed Guillemot are not 

 very common upon the Fames. Eazor Bills {Alca torda) are 

 rare in the breeding season, and do not often nest upon the 

 islands. A pair of Black Guillemots (Uria grylle) frequented 

 the neighbourhood of the Pinnacles up till nearly the end 

 of May in the present year, but then disappeared. The 

 jjoarest breeding station of this bird is ^t the Bass Rock, 



