188 LETTERS OF AN OnNITHOLOGIST. 



an Egyptian mummy. I got this pair three days ago; they are remarkably 

 small specimens, and I do not think they were nestling, as I watched them 

 for several days; however they are male and female. 



My own particular friends, as I mentioned in my last letter, had completed 

 their labours of nidification, and I supposed that they would immediately 

 commence laying and hatching; but I was much concerned to see them very 

 rarely near their nest, and I picked up some wool, (apparently the lining of 

 the nest,) upon the floor of the cave. Determined to examine it, I contrived 

 to hoist myself up to the spot, with the assistance of a boat's anchor and 

 cable. The nest, beautifully woven of heather sprigs, was unlined and empty; 

 I cannot account for this misfortune; however the old birds still haunt the 

 vicinity of the cave, and furiously resent any intrusion near it; and possibly 

 they may make another attempt at nestling this year. 



I also send you a nest of Hooded Crow's eggs; these were replaced by a 

 pair of Bantam's eggs daubed with indigo, only one Crow's egg being left. In 

 due time the little Hoody made his appearance, and two days after the young 

 Bantams saw the light. The old Crow nursed the two little chickens with 

 the same tenderness that she showed towards her own little savage imp; there 

 they were like Eomulus and Remus in the bosom of their rugged foster- 

 mother. We carried them away, however, from the ogre's castle, fearing that 

 they might some day remark "What a great beak you have got grandmamma!" 



I shall conclude with a few notes of the month: — 



May 1st. Considerable flocks of Whimbrels arrived. I killed three couple 

 with great ease, and found them in very good condition, which may be taken 

 as a proof that their last stage was not a very long or harassing one. These 

 birds continue very numerous during the whole of May, but as soon as June 

 commences, they disappear as suddenly as they arrived. lona is not one of 

 their halting-places on their return south, for we are not visited by them in 

 autumn, except by an occasional straggler. 



Ma}' 12th. The Terns and Corncrakes arrived. Their appearance is so 

 precisely punctual to the day, that I would as soon date by it as I would 

 by the almanac. The Herring Gull, (Larus argentatus,) is, with us, far more 

 common than the Lesser Black-backed Gull, (Zy. fuscus,) except at this 

 time of the year, when great numbers of the latter are seen in all the newly- 

 sown fields, busily eating the corn among flocks of wild Pigeons and trespassing 

 poultry. They are, at such times, extremely wary, and indeed at all times 

 they appear to be much more so than the Gray Gulls. 



I shall now drop anchor, as I have been out all night in an open boat — 

 a two-masted skiff, with three reefs in the mainsail, battling against a heavy 

 sea, and head wind blowing very hard; and I landed at five in the morning, 

 well drenched with rain and spray. 



(To be continued.) 



