54 MR. J. H. GURNEY, JUN., ON BIRDS OP TI1E FARNE ISLANDS. 
than a quarter of an ounce, but could be easily expanded into 
something like two hundred and fifty cubic inches. The other 
sample on the table, which is not picked over, weighs about 
1 lb. 7 oz., and is compressible into this small box, thirteen inches 
by eight. 
One Eider allowed me to stroke her on her eggs, and even 
permitted the watcher to try and remove a feather which had 
stuck in her nostril ; but some of the others scuttled off their 
nests in a great fright; but the down was never disarranged, though, 
of course, there was no time to pull any over the eggs. Most 
of the eggs, which were near hatching, were embedded in quite 
a mass of it. More than one egg was chipping, and a noisy 
youngster inside was just getting his first sniff of the salt sea, 
very speedily to be his cradle. 
The real nest is made of dead bents of grass and Silene maritima, 
and the ground underneath is often hollowed out. An average 
nest measures seven inches across inside and eight out. Eive eggs, 
of an olive green colour, appear to be a clutch. I only found one 
nest with six, and seven nests contained four apiece, and probably 
all of them incubated. Only one young nestling was found on 
the islands ; but some more were seen in the sea, already quite 
at home there, though not alone. 
Sheld-Duck. 
Two Sheld-Ducks, locally termed Scale Ducks, were leading 
their little fleets of young, consisting only of four and three, 
out to sea, the little ones swimming just behind their parents ; 
and we did not see any other Ducks; but, in winter, Mergansers, 
Golden-eyes, Long-tailed Ducks, Pintails, Scoters, and Velvet 
Scoters, and others are to be met with. 
The Sheld-Ducks had hatched their eggs on Wide-Opens, an 
excellent result from protection, as nine years ago Mr. Bidwell 
found that only one nest had been known for a long time (see 
his interesting article in the Croydon 1ST. H. Trans.). 
Guillemot. 
It is interesting to note how each species has its separate station. 
The Guillemots lay their eggs on the pinnacles, and so safe do 
they feel on these pillars of black basalt, that small stones thrown 
