TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 53 



The four following days I remained at home 

 packing up my collection preparatory to leaving 

 Shetland. 



On the 20th I again visited the island of Bressa, 

 and in the neighbourhood of Noss Head or Hang 

 Cliff shot several Guillemots, Razorbills, and 

 Kittewakes ; the latter are more numerous here 

 than in any other part of Shetland. My principal 

 object was to procure some of their young in the 

 downy state. I found it impossible to climb the cliff, 

 and was therefore necessitated to obtain them by 

 firing at their nest and knocking them out. I could 

 soon have filled the boat with them had I wished 

 it, but desisted as soon as I had procured sufficient 

 for my purpose. At each shot the old birds flew 

 from the cliff in a complete cloud, and returned 

 to their nests before I could reload. It is 

 impossible for any one to imagine the number that 

 are here in the breeding- season. This summer two 

 young men attempted by some means to climb these 

 rocks, for the purpose of getting eggs. They had 

 succeeded in getting some distance up, when one of 

 them lost his hold, and was instantly precipitated 

 into the sea, and most probably struck against the 

 rocks, as he was never seen again. There are se- 

 veral cliffs, in the neighbourhood where the Herring 

 Gull breeds, and also a few of the Common Gull, 



