ST. KILDA AND ITS BIRDS. . 363 



inhabited the district at the time when St. Kilda was 

 connected with the mainland of Scotland, as there is good 

 reason to believe it once was. 



Anthus obscurus (Rock Pipit). 



Plentiful all round the rocky coasts of the islands, 

 where it breeds. I frequently saw it, and even came 

 across it on the isolated rock Levinish, where it was 

 evidently breeding. Resident all the year. 



Passer montarius (Tree Sparrow). 



Fairly plentiful, breeding in the stone walls and cleits 

 in the neighbourhood of the Village. A thick high wall 

 formed of loose uncemented stones Running down from the 

 Village to the bay, is a favourite place for them. On 

 June 18th I discovered a nest containing young three or 

 four days old, and two days later (20th) I found two 

 nests with five fresh eggs in each. These were in all 

 probability first layings, as the natives do not trouble to 

 take the nests of any small birds except those of the wren, 

 and I saw no young birds about. The season, moreover, 

 was a very cold and backward one. 



Liriota flavirostris (Twite). 



Fairly plentiful. I frequently saw the bird, and think 

 there can be no doubt that it breeds, though I never saw 

 any nest. On June 8th I watched for some time two 

 male birds courting a female about the stone walls on 

 the hill side, above the Village. 



Fal co peregrinus (The Peregrine Falcon). 



This is the only member of the Hawk family resident 

 in St. Kilda. There are three or four pairs on the islands, 

 one or two on Dun, one on Soay, and one on the main 

 island. Four clutches of eggs were taken by the natives 

 this year, one of; which.! saw; one of the clutches might 



