474 



The nurseries on some of the islands are frequented by forty or fifty pairs ; there are several 

 stations on South Uist, on Stuala Island, Wiay, Benbecula, and North Uist. There are also 

 one or two breeding-places in Lewis." In 1848, Messrs. Baikie and Heddle say, it was very 

 common in Orkney, arriving May and leaving in September, but since then it has decreased 

 considerably ; and although they still breed in numbers on Unst, yet, Dr. Saxby states, they are 

 becoming less numerous every year. He adds that he believes they breed in only four of the 

 Shetland Islands, besides Unst, viz. Yell, Fetlar, Noss, and Foula. It is stated by Mr. More to 

 breed in Caithness and Sutherland ; but Mr. Harvie-Brown writes that he can find no instance of 

 this species having lately been found nesting in the latter county. Thompson says that it is 

 occasionally met with on the Irish coast, and adds that it has nested near Achil Island on the 

 west coast. 



Professor Newton states that this Skua breeds in Greenland, in both Inspectorates, but most 

 commonly in the southern ; it was found on the east coast by Graah, but not by the German 

 Expedition; and it was obtained also on the west coast of Davis Strait. It is equally abundant 

 in the Polar Sea as in the latter. In Iceland it is, according to Professor Newton, common 

 enough throughout the island, and breeds even far inland on the moors. Faber says that it 

 arrives about the 25th April, and remains until the end of September. According to Captain 

 Feilden it is most abundant throughout the Fseroes, and especially so in Vaagoe and Svinoe. It 

 arrives about the beginning of April, and leaves in October. Mr. Collett states that it is common 

 everywhere along the coast of Norway, but does not penetrate far inland on the southern fiords. 

 In Finmark it is abundant among the outer islands, as also far down in the fiords. In Sweden 

 it breeds chiefly in the northern portions of the coast. Nilsson says that a pair or two are to be 

 met with in the southern portion of the group of islands off Gothenburg, but that in the Baltic 

 it only breeds far north, and is generally met with on the outer islands. Dr. Palmen writes 

 (Finl. Fogl. ii. p. 626) that it is numerous on the coasts of the Arctic Ocean, but, compara- 

 tively speaking, rarer on the coasts of the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia. Messrs. Sahlberg and 

 Malmberg observed it at Devaatoi ; Mr. Nylander says that it breeds on Karlo, off Uleaborg ; a 



o 



few are said to nest on Aland ; Von Nordmann states that it breeds sparingly in the vicinity 

 of Helsingfors, and Aschan that it nests on Jussaro. On the coasts of the Arctic Ocean it is, 

 as above stated, common almost everywhere. Pastor Sommerfelt says that it breeds in East 

 Finmark, on the coast-line, but not so far inland on the fiords as at Varanger. A pair or two 

 nest annually on Vardo and Svartnses. Dr. Malmgren says that it is tolerably common on the 

 coasts of Spitzbergen, not even excepting the north coast, and breeds chiefly on the low islets 

 off the coast. He once found a nest on the mainland at Wahlenberg Bay; but otherwise he 

 only found it breeding on the small islands, such as Depot Island, Moffen, and Low Island in 

 80° 20' N. lat. Professor Newton writes (Ibis, 1865, p. 510) as follows :—" This bird is quite 

 as common in Spitsbergen as I have seen it elsewhere, except among the Loffoden Islands. 

 Parry's Expedition met with it on their journey over the ice, but not north of 82° 2' N. 

 Dr. Malmgren found it breeding on the small islets near the coast, and once on the mainland. 

 It was also, he says, very common on Bear Island. I never saw in Spitsbergen an example of 

 the whole-coloured race or variety, on which was founded the Sterc. richardsoni of Swainson ; 

 and I believe Dr. Malmgren's much greater experience is the same." Von Heuglin did not find 



