178 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Cormorants, a few Greater Black-backed Gulls and Black 

 Guillemots, were also observed on it. We rowed over to 

 Stack Buachaille, which is well worth seeing, but only one 

 or two of the ledges were occupied by birds, and these were 

 Fulmars and Razorbills. 



All along the north coast of Sutherlandshire Fulmars are 

 seen in small numbers. 



Whilst in this neighbourhood I saw a number of Black 

 Fish, particularly between Loch Erriboll and North Rona. 



Near this island a Rudolphi's Rorqual was twice observed. 

 On both occasions it flung itself perpendicularly out of water 

 like a salmon. This seems an unexpected proceeding on the 

 part of so large an animal, but I have since been informed 

 by Mr Millais that the Norwegian hunters have told him that 

 this whale jumps clear of the water in this way. 



Three Killer Whales were also seen, and were recognised 

 by the conspicuously high-pointed dorsal fin, and by the 

 commotion which they caused amongst the Porpoises. 



On the 20th June I visited the Smoo Cave, near Durness, 

 and found both the Grey and Pied Wagtails breeding in it ; 

 also Spotted Flycatchers. 



The caves and stacks on the east side of the entrance to 

 Loch Erriboll are also well worth visiting, not on account of 

 the birds, which are few in number, but for the great beauty of 

 the caves themselves. The walls are a harmonious blending 

 of colour red, green, brown and yellow and have been 

 carved into a succession of pillars and arches by the Atlantic 

 breakers, which too often render the caves unapproachable. 

 No imaginary grotto of fairy legend could be more beautiful 

 than these probably almost unknown examples of Nature's 

 architecture. 



The same day I landed on Garve Island. " The matrix," 

 to quote Mr J. A. Harvie Brown, "is limestone, and every 

 inch of it is studded with fossils." The matrix had been 

 " weathered out " by wind and wave, and the small fossil 

 shells stand out so sharply defined that one has to be careful 

 how one clutches the rock on landing. However, it provides 

 a security of foothold for the somewhat precipitous ascent 

 to the top, which it has not been my luck to find on many 



