REPORT OP THE MEETINGS FOR 1899 41 



but a few individuals may sometimes be met with about 

 the Fames in autumn or spring. 



Cormorants {Phalacrocorax cabro) have increased decidedly, 

 and the Shag, or Green Cormorant (P. graculus) seems also 

 to be increasing. A pair, and sometimes two, have bred 

 pretty regularly on the ledges round the Pinnacles of late 

 years, and in the early autumn of 1898 I found quite a 

 number of both young and adult birds about the islands, 

 though it is improbable that more than one or two of these 

 had been bred there. 



Eider Ducks {Somateria moUissima) have certainly not 

 diminished in numbers, and the fearlessness of some of the 

 ducks upon their nests is as surprising as ever. It is not 

 very unusual fur some of them to allow themselves to be 

 actually touched without leaving their eggs ; while an old 

 duck will often, when disturbed from her nest, only waddle 

 away from you a few paces and return as soon as you 

 have retired again to a short distance. 



Oystercatchers (Hcpmatopus ostrcdegus) and Ringed Plovers 

 [^Egialitis hiaticola) nest iu small numbers on several of the 

 islands, and members had the satisfaction of seeing a nest 

 of each of them upon the Wideopens, on the occasion of 

 our visit. The Rock Pipit {Anthus ohscurus) is another bird 

 which makes the islands its home, and is fairly numerous. 

 In July 1898 we found a nest, which still contained eggs, in 

 the wall of one of the ruined buildings near St. Cuthbert's 

 Chapel. 



Amongst birds which may be seen with considerable regu- 

 larity upon the islands during summer, but which have not 

 been known to nest there, may be mentioned the Turnstone 

 {Strepsilas interpres), Dunlin {Tringa alpina), and Purple 

 Sandpiper [T. striata), while I have seen Grey Plovers 

 {Squatarola helvetica) there, in full breeding plumage, late 

 in the spring. Early in the present season the watchers 

 reported that a King Eider Drake {Somateria spectahilis) had 



