BIRDS. 



341 



The only breeding place of the Kittiwake upon the whole coast 

 is Fowlsheugh. It had been reported that these Gulls also bred 

 upon the Red Head of Forfar — the extension of the Sidlaw ranges — 

 but an ornithologist's eye at once realises the unsuitability of the 

 place; and no less so, another reported site, viz. the rocks of 

 Fife Ness. So far as I am aware, the Kittiwake has never nested on 

 either of these places. 



[Stercorarius catarrhactes (L.). Common Skua. 



Of extremely rare occurrence. 



Indeed, only " suspected " by Col. Drummond Hay to have accompanied 

 the flights of other Skuaci which visited our coasts so abundantly in the 

 autumn of 1879. 



Millais does not mention it as occurring in his list. 



Mr. W. Berwick includes it as an occasional visitor, but I fancy he is 

 merely quoting the above ; at least I have not been able to verify the fact 

 from other sources.] 



Stercorarius pomatorhinus {Ternm.). Pomatorhine Skua. 



Eare occasional visitant; but at times appearing in considerable 

 numbers. 



The autumn of 1879 ^vill long be remembered by ornithologists 

 as a season of phenomenal appearance of this and other species of 

 Skua. 



Many were obtained in all stages of plumage — some of which 

 were got at inland localities ; and others have been got at inland 

 localities, at other times, even when their numbers were not so 

 phenomenal. 



In 1895 a young female was picked up in an exhausted condition 

 at Inchyra Grange, on 24th November [Annals Scot. Nat. Hist., 1896, 

 p. 27, and. Col. Duthie). 



Amongst many others got in 1879, a male and female were 

 obtained by Mr. Fullerton, and acquired by Mr. Marshall for his 

 collection at Stanley. These were got near Monifieth. 



Under the dates of October 1879, Mr. Small has a note in his 

 Registers (MS. copy done for me) : "Some hundreds of Pomatorhine 

 Skuas, and a number of Buffon's Skuas, were killed about this time, 

 in the Forth below Queensferry." 



In 1897 one is recorded as having been shot on the moor at 

 Dalclathic, near Comrie, in the third week in September, and is 

 recorded in the Annals Scot. Nat. Hist, for 1898, p. 46, 



