7 
special effort has been made at Lundy Island, off the coast 
of Devon, the one English breeding-place of the Gfannet. 
Representations on the matter were received from Professor 
Newton, who reported the colony to be in imminent danger of 
extermination, not a single young bird having been reared for 
seven years. Lundy is nominally a protected area for all eggs, 
but owing to the peculiar circumstances of this quaint little 
seigniory the law had never been enforced, and while the 
inhabitants have regarded wild birds’ eggs as a saleable 
requisite, visitors are stated to do an amount of egg-lifting 
which must seriously affect the interesting bird population of 
the island. By permission of the proprietor of Lundy, a 
watcher was engaged for the breeding season ; warning notices 
were circulated; Pilotage Boards were asked to instruct their 
pilots; and the officials of Trinity House agreed to direct their 
Lundy lighthouse keepers to co-operate with the watcher in his 
task. Unfortunately the Gannets did not nest this year; but in 
consequence, it is believed, of the watching, Peregrines, Buzzards, 
and other rare birds succeeded in rearing their young. A 
watcher will be again on the island next summer. 
The special steps taken for the preservation of the Ravens Watching-, 
and Peregrines of Sussex and the Isle of Wight will be 
renewed in 1905, when other breeding places will also be 
watched. 
During the year information received by the Society made Bass Rock, 
it evident that there was necessity for immediate action for the 
protection of the birds of the Bass Rock and other islets in the 
Forth area. It was reported, inter alia, that the eggs of 
Peregrines were regularly taken to supply collectors, in spite 
of the illegality of the proceeding. The Chief Constable of 
Haddington, the Coastguard, and the County Council were 
communicated with, and the first-named in particular responded 
with promptitude, instructing the North Berwick police to give 
the protection of the Peregrines at Craigleith and other rocks, 
their special attention. These birds appear to have deserted the 
Bass Rock itself some few years ago, at the time of the building 
of the lighthouse; but it remains, as is well known, one of the 
most remarkable resorts of sea-birds within British seas. Their 
enemies are principally parties of trippers from the main¬ 
land, who go out in boats to shoot at the Rock, and bring 
down any birds they can hit—frequently nestlings off the nests— 
leaving them dead, or wounded, on the water where they fall. 
The tenant of the Rock is anxious to put a stop to this slaughter, 
and on the representations of the Society the County Council 
have referred the question to a committee; it may safely be 
concluded that no repetition will be allowed of the scenes which 
were viewed with disgust last autumn. 
