Notes on the Ornithology of CoMhness. 343 
some woods near Lytli ; but this species, as may be seen by 
the catalogue, has occurred once before, some fishermen 
having caught a male which alighted in their boat at sea. 
In reference to the nesting of our birds, I am not aware 
that we possess anything either novel or peculiar ; but a few 
random observations may not be altogether without interest. 
The most striking example of gregarious nidification the 
county can show, is exhibited on an island in the Loch of 
Stemster, where some thousands of the black-headed or 
laughing-gull {Larus ridihundus) congregate in spring. The 
eggs deposited on one-half of the island only are taken in 
the season, and these are lifted at short intervals, the numbers 
taken on some occasions being almost fabulous. They are 
valued as an edible of great delicacy. Kound the edge of 
this island, among the rushes and other covert, several species 
build and rear their young. The nest of the mallard {Anas 
boschas), the eggs invariably concealed beneath the downy 
mass which the female plucks from her breast, is frequently 
met with, varied now and again by the massive and some- 
times floating structure of the coot {Fulica atra). It is 
almost certain, also, that the tufted pochard {Fuligula 
cristata) breeds in the vicinity, as specimens are observed 
constantly throughout the summer months. In Mr Selby's 
time, this pochard was not known to breed in Britain, but 
the later work of Morris contains several instances. 
The Arctic tern (Sterna Arcticd) breeds, among other 
places, ina piece of moorland in the vicinity of a loch about 
four miles from Wick. In the breeding season this tern 
may be observed following the course of the river in its 
flight to and from its feeding-grounds, which are at the 
mouth of the river and round the bay. During its journey 
I have observed it occasionally, but not often, stop suddenly 
in its flight above the river, apparently attracted by some 
small fish, remain suspended, like the kestrel, for an instant, 
and then drop headlong upon the object that had attracted 
its attention. It is in the bay, however, where this bird 
chiefly finds subsistence ; and liere the habits of this tern, 
and of several species of gulls, may be observed under the 
most favourable circumstances. The principal prey of the 
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