SPRING BIRD-NOTES FROM SCOTTISH ISLANDS 177 



anything, this may be a little under the mark, but I should 

 certainly say there were less than 6000. I believe the over- 

 estimation of the numbers to be due to the difficulty of 

 separating the Gannets with the eye from the multitude 

 of Kittiwakes and Guillemots sitting amongst them. I asked 

 one of my yacht's officers how many Gannets he thought 

 there were, and, even after consideration, he suggested a 

 million ! As none of the sitting birds rose, even when 

 I was within a few yards of the rock in the dinghy, it 

 was not possible to see whether any young were hatched. 

 I presume that the population would be quite one-third more 

 if counted before the young are able to fly. 



Only the upper third of the northern part of the Skerry 

 is occupied by nesting birds, and a very small point of rock, 

 which cannot hold more than half a dozen nests, on the 

 southern portion. At first sight the whole Stack appears 

 to be covered in its upper half by nesting birds ; but a 

 closer inspection reveals that quite one in six and I think 

 possibly even a larger proportion of those on the southern 

 part are immature birds, not all in the dark plumage, but 

 still immature. 



There were no Puffins, very few Razorbills, and a few 

 Shags with young ; also a few Greater and Lesser Black- 

 backed Gulls. 



There were both Grey and Common Seals, disporting 

 themselves, as is their wont, just where the sea was breaking 

 most heavily, and where it would appear that every wave 

 would dash them on the rocks. 



Leaving Stack, we steamed over to Bulgach Island, six 

 miles south of Cape Wrath. Here the swell again prevented 

 my landing, but gave me a very imposing view of the curious 

 " Bellows " Cave at the north end, which is a feature of the 

 island. 



The north-west side of Bulgach is almost entirely occupied 

 by Kittiwakes and a few Fulmars. On the south-west were 

 great numbers of Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, and some 

 Shags. The visible population of these last was a little under 

 one hundred, including young. The top of the island was 

 covered with Puffins and Herring Gulls ; and three 

 32 z 



