74 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Rock-Dove (Columba livia). — Seen everywhere on rocky 

 coasts. In a cave on Fore Holm, F. S. Graves, with great 

 difficulty, reached a nest in which were two hard-sat eggs. Close 

 to this was another with newly-hatched young (31st May). 



Corn-Crake (Crex pratensis). — Five eggs taken on Foula in 

 1897 were shown us. 



Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis). — Only a few pairs 

 seen, near Walls and in Unst ; evidently nesting. 



Ringed Plover (/Egialitis hiaticula). — Very common on holms 

 and stony barrens ; sometimes also on loch-sides inland. Abun- 

 dant in the interior of Papa Stour, where the surface has been 

 stripped of sods, leaving a waste of sharp-edged red and white 

 shingle, with scraps of sickly vegetation. Nests found on the Scal- 

 loway islands. One on Hildasay was formed of the dry droppings 

 of rabbits arranged in a well-shaped ring round the four eggs. 



Lapwing (Vanellus cristatus). — A few here and there. Evidently 

 breeding near Whiteness and Walls. 



Oystercatcher (Hcematopus ostralegus). — Common every- 

 where on the coast. Nesting abundantly on the Scalloway 

 islands. One nest contained four eggs. We saw the birds buffet 

 the Raven and Hooded Crow. 



Common Snipe (Gallinago ccelestis). — We saw one pair at 

 Snarravoe, Unst. 



Dunlin (Tringa alpina). — A few pairs seen by grassy loch- 

 sides. We repeatedly heard their reeling " song," which was 

 uttered when the bird was standing on a tussock, and not when 

 on the wing. They were very tame. At one of the places they 

 frequented were several small cup-shaped nests on the tufts of 

 grass, but laying seemed not to have commenced. 



Common Sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucus). — Two pairs met 

 with near Walls on inland lochs. 



Whimbrel (Numenius phceopus). — Heard the characteristic 

 cry from the steamer while in Bastavoe, Yell. 



Curlew (N. arquata). — A few only seen, both on the moors 

 and coast. One apparently breeding on Hermanness, Unst. 



Arctic Tern (Sterna macrura). — Noticed none on our first 

 visit to Scalloway islands (20th May) ; on second visit (31st May) 

 they were numerous at their well-known stations, and noisy, 

 although no vestiges of nesting were yet to be seen. 



