146 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



might not, if they liked, kill in a year five thousand "gugas " 

 and four thousand old birds. As their bills are very sharp 

 and they take a firm hold, it is not safe to seize them in- 

 cautiously, or you may get your hand badly cut. It is only 

 on dark, damp nights that it is easy to catch many of them. 

 The natives of course select such times for their capture, 

 and in the twilight ascend the rocks very quietly so as to 

 cause as little alarm as possible. Before going to rest the 

 different flocks leave several birds as sentinels, which are 

 very vigilant. While on duty and there is no cause for 

 alarm, they cry " grog-grog " incessantly. As these sentinels 

 must be secured, the fowler crawls up to them very slowly 

 and cautiously. If the sentinel is in the least alarmed he 

 changes his notes at once, and the fowler must remain 

 perfectly still till he again begins his " grog-grog," when he 

 may resume his cautious advance. If they are successful 

 in capturing the sentinels before they have taken alarm and 

 uttered their third or danger call, they may secure large 

 numbers, but if not instantly the whole flock is on the wing 

 and will not again settle quietly that night. If, however, 

 successful, they have only to cautiously advance and secure 

 one by one the resting birds. They must be seized firmly 

 by the neck and pressed to the ground while you twist the 

 neck, lest they alarm the rest. Sometimes the birds wake up, 

 and hearing a little sound but no cry of danger from the 

 sentinels, are not alarmed, but come slowly up with their 

 necks stretched out to investigate. These the fowler seizes 

 as quietly as possible one by one, till sometimes he is able 

 to kill every one in that flock. This finished they crawl on 

 to another ledge, and then to another, till they have gone 

 over all in the vicinity, or have secured as many as the boat 

 can conveniently carry. As soon as it is day the birds 

 which have been caught are all thrown down into the sea 

 and secured by the boat below. They are now off for home, 

 and on arrival the birds caught are divided equally among 

 all the families in the island. As no rope can be ordinarily 

 used, this fowling is rather dangerous work. They may slip 

 in the dark, or if the wind suddenly rises they may be blown 

 off the ledges. 



The GUILLEMOT \Uria troile] is here called " lamhaidh," 



