42 LKTTEUS OF AN ORNITHOLOGIST. 



season this year. I met a gentleman last summer who had visited Barra, 

 and . he said that he found this bird breeding there^ and the natives were 

 well acquainted with it. 



The Golden Eyes, {Glangula vulgaris,) are plentiful all winter, especially in 

 a fresh-water Loch, at a small distance in Mull. 



The Eider Duck, (Somateria molllssima,) is very frequently seen, though 

 generally females and immature birds; at the neighbouring island of Colonsay 

 they breed in great numbers. They abound there to such an extent, that 

 the bird is known by no other name upon these coasts but the Colonsay Duck. 

 The Shieldrake, {Tadorna vulpanser,) is equally abundant; and in a visit that I 

 paid to that island, May of last year, I got as many specimens as I wished. 



The Black Guillemot, {Uria Grylle,) is the commonest bird we have, next 

 to the Gulls; it is an interesting little bird, from the various states of its 

 plumage. It breeds in great numbers upon the isles; and we have reared 

 its young, though they always fly away when full grown ; yet they and young 

 PuflBns become very familiar. 



I am afraid I can add nothing to your knowledge of Plovers; they are 

 not abundant. A few Peewits, (Vanellus cn'status,) breed on the island. The 

 Golden Plover only visits the shores in frosty weather, but they are very 

 abundant on the moors in Mull, and still more so at the island of Tiree. 

 The Ringed Plover, (Oharadrius Maticula,) is common. There are some 

 patches of gravelly beach which are always frequented by considerable flocks, 

 especially at ebb-tide; or at high-water they will be found in some particular 

 spots among the low sand-hills in the immediate neighbourhood; but they 

 never seem to stray far from these favourite grounds and roosting-places. 

 Upon the approach of an intruder, they commence their wild, plaintive whistle, 

 at the same time running away before him; sometimes one will conceal himself 

 behind a bunch of cast sea-weed or a stone, till the near approach of danger 

 sets him running off to overtake his companions. Thus they will go on, 

 always hurrying across the patches of white sand, and lingering upon the 

 portions of gravel, as they well know that on the former they are very 

 conspicuous, while on the latter they are almost invisible. Upon a too near 

 or rapid approach, or any sudden movement, especially levelling a gun, up 

 they all jump, fly out to sea, tack, fly close past their disturber, tack again 

 two or three times, which they all do together with military precision, giving 

 the flock the appearance of changing its colour froiu white to black, and 

 then from black to white; at last they pitch down upon the beach again, a 

 little farther on. The best shot is when they are alighting, as at all other 

 times they keep very much scattered. 



A few Ringed Dotterels remain to breed in the island, at which time their 

 plumage becomes very beautiful, and their bills and legs an intense orange 

 yellow. They apparently fly about a good deal at night, as their whistle 

 may be frequently heard in the dark, and often inland and in places where 

 they are never seen in the day-time. 



