ORNITHOLOGICAL VISIT TO THE FAROES. 83 



is already known and written on the birds of the Fgeroe Islands. 

 The principal object of these notes is to bring up to date, as far 

 as possible, the information already to hand. It will perhaps 

 be as well to mention that only on one occasion during our visit 

 did the weather in any way interfere with our operations ; in 

 fact, it was a remarkably dry season for these islands, subject 

 as they are to incessant rain and mist at this period of the year. 



Owing mainly to the steady increase of population, that many 

 species have considerably decreased during the last half-century 

 is beyond doubt.. 



Eeferring to Col. H. W. Feilden's memoir, " The Birds of the 

 Faroe Islands" (Zool. 1872, pp. 3210, 3245, and 3277), I find he 

 enumerates one hundred and thirty-eight species. It is my in- 

 tention, with a few exceptions, to deal only with those we saw or 

 actually found breeding. It is noteworthy that the following 

 birds which have bred, according to previous writers, were not 

 met with by us on the islands visited, and we consider it very 

 doubtful as to whether they now do so, viz., Kedwing, White 

 Wagtail, Tree-Sparrow, Snow-Bunting, Sky-Lark, Merlin, Grey 

 Lag-Goose, Long-tailed Duck, Teal, Quail, Corn-Crake, Ked- 

 necked Phalarope, Dunlin, Piedshank, Black-tailed Godwit, and 

 Black-headed Gull. I may also mention the following, which on 

 very meagre evidence are supposed to have bred : — Snowy Owl, 

 Mealy Pieclpoll, King-Duck, and Turnstone. The breeding stations 

 of the following, which undoubtedly still breed, were not visited. 

 and we therefore had no opportunity of verifying the same, 

 viz. Cormorant, Shag, Gannet, Herring-Gull, Eazorbill, Stormy 

 Petrel, and Mans Shearwater. 



Nearly all the eggs from the Fseroe Islands in the British 

 Museum were taken by Herr F. C. Miiller, a native of Thors- 

 havn, and eventually acquired by the late Edward Hargitt, K.I., 

 being finally presented to the National Collection in 1893 by 

 that ardent and sterling naturalist, the late Henry Seebohm. 



Wheatear (Saxicola cenanthe). Native name, " Steinstolpa." — 

 This beautiful bird was by far the most abundant member of the 

 large Order to which it belongs. Found breeding on all islands 

 visited, though mostly confined to the valleys ; we occasionally 

 came across them on the mountain tops. Though we did not search 



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