23S NOTIW OM THK BIRDS OF lONA. 



heels down the face of the rock, and disappear into the water. Yon think 

 you have murdered the whole gang, but wait a second, and there they all 

 come merrily bobbing up to the surface — a forest of black necks swimming 

 away to windward. A few are within reach, and pifF-paff, shoot 'em down is 

 the word — no quarter given to them now. 



Lastly we may visit one of the caves, as the swell of the \tlantic has sunk 

 into a calm slumber, and will allow us to venture near them w'ithout danger 

 to the boat. At the first alarm a string of birds pours forth almost right 

 into our face; but still many remain, (especially if it is the breeding-time,) 

 sitting on the high shelfs; even though we enter the cave, and repeatedly 

 fire, creating a most dreadful din, and bringing down splinters of tlic rock 

 from the lofty vaulted roof. If the young Scartlings are hatched, they keep 

 tip a perpetual clamour, very different from their taciturn parents; and the 

 report of the gun frequently brings one toppling dovvn over the edge of its 

 coarse sea-tangle nest — a most ungainly-looking youngster. If we liked to 

 wait here till evening, we might get almost any number of birds, as they 

 will come flying home at sunset; for the Cormorant keeps early hours, and 

 retires to rest with the sun; but we are contented with what we have done, 

 and will now stay our hand from slaughter. 



The Cormorant is very tenacious of life; when winged he seems to recover 

 new life as soon as he strikes the water, and escapes by diving. ^Vhen 

 wounded they sometimes disappear in a mysterious manner; though there are 

 plenty of quick eyes in the boat, and all around is smooth as a polished 

 mirror, yet the wounded bird is not to be seen, and is believed by the 

 boatmen to have gone down to the bottom, to remain there out of spite. 



Some time ago I heard of a party of fishermen visiting a Scart's cave by 

 night, and lighting a fire. The poor birds came fluttering down from their 

 roo.sts, and were killed with sticks. However, in the midst of the confusion, 

 smoke, darkness, flapping wings, and whirring of revolving shillaleghs, an un- 

 fortunate fellow was mistaken by a comrade for a gigantic Phalacrocorax ; 

 and the sharp crack of a broken skull was heard instead of the dull thud of 

 smitten feathers, and the victim was taken home in the bottom of the boat 

 as insensible as the bed of dead Cormorants on which he lay.*' 



The Cormorant generally flies low along the surface of the water, to and 

 from its fishing-ground; though sometimes, when making a long passage, 

 especially in windy weather, it soars up to a very great height. Occasionally, 

 in a perfect calm, when the sea is as smooth as if solidified into crystal, a 

 bird may be seen drying his wings without leaving the water; he sits erect 

 in the sea, floating about with his wings spread in the air, presenting a 

 curious appearance for half an hour on a stretch. 



The Gaelic name, as 1 mentioned before, is Scarble, pronounced Scar-ruv. 



Zona. 



* Were there coroner's inquests in these parts, the verdict would have been sarved him right; 

 but the Highlander's cranium was not materially injured, though the shillalcgh was considerably 

 damaged by the collision. 



