152 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



the Puffin is a very pugnacious little fellow, and when he 

 finds himself caught attacks his neighbour. In this way a 

 general fight is started, during which many are caught. On 

 a suitable day a person with four or five of these snares, 

 which are as many as he can attend to, may kill several 

 hundreds. Many of these birds are also caught with the 

 same rod which is used for snaring some of the other 

 species. This rod is generally of cane, and about fifteen 

 feet long, to the point of which a noose of horse hair, 

 stiffened with strips of quill, is securely attached. In use 

 this rod is slowly and quietly advanced towards the bird till 

 the noose can be slipped over its head, when it is suddenly 

 jerked tight, and the bird instantly jerked away so as not to 

 frighten the others. An expert fowler can do this so quietly 

 that he will capture several out of a number sitting together 

 before the rest are alarmed and take to flight. The only two 

 birds which can be caught thus at any time are the Puffin 

 and the Razorbill. The others can only be taken in this 

 way when they are hatching (i.e. incubating). The time when 

 the Fulmar and the Guillemot can be approached is when 

 the egg is nearly hatched. The Guillemot will often 

 remain on the nearly hatched egg till the fowler is quite 

 near, especially if they are breeding in a rather inaccessible 

 spot where they are but seldom disturbed. At other times 

 and places they are warier and not so easily approached. I 

 have often seen two which had been putting their heads 

 together caught in the noose at the same time, and at other 

 times when the noose was being brought into position I have 

 seen a bird take it in its bill and put it aside. The easiest 

 time for snaring the Gannet is during the first week after 

 the young are hatched. At this time they are so tamed by 

 their parental affection that they can almost be taken by 

 hand. Comparatively few, however, of either of the above 

 species are captured in this way, and those which are taken 

 are not much worth. There would be no real hardship to 

 any one if this taking of them off the nest were prohibited 

 altogether. The natives, who are naturally kind-hearted, are 

 now becoming so enlightened that I am almost sure they 

 would make no objection. The Puffin is the bird which is 

 most easily and most generally caught in this way, and as 



