io ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



Two or three small flocks of Long-tailed Ducks were farther 

 out in the bay. I notice that when one of these has urgent 

 business below, all the others immediately follow suit. I 

 always felt sorry for Simon Peter, who, when he announced 

 that he was going " a-fishing," was greeted by his friends 

 with " We also go with thee," and watching the Long-tailed 

 Ducks I often wonder whether, when one is suddenly 

 prompted to follow Simon Peter's example, his friends do 

 not greatly disturb his fishing. The Great Northern Divers, 

 which generally fish alone or with their wives, whom they 

 presumably keep in order, seem to have much better sport. 



Great numbers of Shags and one or two Cormorants 

 were sitting about on the rocks or swimming and diving 

 round them. Common, Herring, and Black-headed Gulls 

 and Kittiwakes are all plentiful, the last named often hover 

 and dive into the sea like Terns after their food. One 

 solitary Great Black-backed Gull was swimming about in 

 the distance. Nature never designed his plumage for con- 

 cealment. The tide having gone out a number of Bar-tailed 

 Godwits, Curlews, Oyster-Catchers, and Redshanks collected 

 on the sand, and a Hooded Crow came down in the hope of 

 finding some luscious morsel. 



Having watched this happy family for the best part of 

 an hour I reluctantly leave them, as there is always the 

 possibility of seeing interesting birds on the sands of Barra 

 at low tide. As I rose from my hiding-place I put up a 

 Snipe within a few yards of me, which must have been 

 watching me the whole time. A Thrush also got up. 

 Some of the little rocky islets were covered with seals basking 

 in the sunshine, and apparently enjoying it as much as I 

 was. Only rarely when wandering over these lonely islands 

 is my peace of mind momentarily dispelled. It is no un- 

 common thing to find oneself suddenly face to face with a 

 ferocious-looking Highland bull, with nothing but a sand- 

 hill or heathery " knowe " to get behind should he resent 

 one's intrusion. But the qualm is but momentary, for he 

 too has lived a life of peace and freedom, and has not 

 acquired the manners of the bovine Lowlander, who might 

 dispute my rights of way. 



Landing on Barra, I wandered along the sandy shore 



