344 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Eodd, in the ' Birds of Cornwall ' (p. 169), says it formerly bred 

 on the islands. The naturalist already referred to, who visited 

 Scilly in 1841, speaks of two nests of the Black-headed Gull he 

 saw on St. Mary's ; and in a copy of Montagu's ' Dictionary of 

 Birds,' belonging to E. H. Eodd, there is a marginal note, though 

 not in the owner's handwriting, that this bird bred in Scilly in 

 1845. Though it has several times been seen in the summer 

 months, there is no record of its having nested for the last sixty 

 years. The Common Gull appeared in great numbers in the 

 autumn of 1863, and small winter parties seem to be not un- 

 common. The Herring-Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull are 

 most abundant all the year round, and breed in great numbers 

 on most of the uninhabited islands. The Greater Black-backed 

 Gull is a resident, but in limited numbers. Eleven nests were 

 found in 1903, including eight on Menewethan, one on Great 

 Ganilly, one on Little Ganinnick, and one on Inner Innisvouls. 

 Several birds were frequenting the Western Islands, but no nests 

 were noticed there. A young female of the Glaucous Gull was 

 shot by David Smith in Pentle Bay, Tresco, in 1874, and another 

 specimen by Dorrien- Smith at Cam Nea, Tresco, in 1885. The 

 Iceland Gull is a somewhat rare casual, chiefly during winter. 

 One in immature plumage was shot by Jenkinson on Bryher in 

 May, 1852 ; one was shot by David Smith near Oliver's Castle, 

 Tresco, in 1884 ; one was killed near the old infant school, 

 Tresco, Feb. 25th, 1885 ; and one, probably an adult, was seen 

 Dec. 1st, 1890. The Kittiwake used to breed in large numbers 

 on Menavawr, and Jenkinson mentions their doing so in a letter 

 written in 1852. Gradually they forsook Menavawr, and went 

 to Gorregan, where they continued to build for many years. 

 Jackson has seen as many as a hundred nests there closely 

 packed together on the south side of the steep cairn just above 

 the Smugglers' Hole. Their numbers, however, have been steadily 

 diminishing since the seventies, and in 1900 Jackson found only 

 three nests. Since that year no nests have been known at 

 Scilly, and the birds have ceased to frequent Gorregan during 

 the breeding season. They are often seen during the winter, 

 and in small flocks throughout the summer, but at all times of 

 the year they seem to be commoner between Land's End and the 

 islands than on the islands themselves. 



