182 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



feeding-ground by the flow. We had not long 

 enjoyed our sun-bath when a flock of Turnstones 

 alighted so near us that even without the aid of a 

 binocular glass we could distinctly see their move- 

 ments. The birds gradually focussed themselves 

 upon a dead salmon that was partially embedded in 

 in the sand. They speedily removed the sand from 

 the fish until the tail only remained covered ; and 

 those upon the lower side continued digging under 

 the fish, while those upon the upper side kept press- 

 ing it upward, till they succeeded in overturning it. 

 The fish fell upon some of the birds that were 

 undermining it. Two, in a rather excited manner, 

 managed to free themselves and escape ; and my 

 dog " Clyde," one of the gentlest creatures that ever 

 carried a bird, ran in and caught another that was all 

 but concealed by the fish. " Clyde " was in a playful 

 mood ; and having of her own accord secured the 

 bird, she was hardly in a humour to voluntarily 

 give it up. When we had proceeded about half-a- 

 mile homewards, the object of our chase — a Skua, 

 Stercorarius crepidatus (Gmel.) — made its appearance ; 

 and. with the view of getting the bird to come 

 within range, I ordered " Clyde " to enter the water. 

 She then relaxed her hold of the Turnstone, which 

 flew, apparently uninjured, in the direction of its 

 companions. 



