266 THE BIRDS OF STRATIIBEG. 



instance, in leading me away from its young, that I must say if I had not 

 seen it myself, it would have been rather a hard matter for any one to 

 have made me believe that such was possible in a bird. The circumstance 

 having been related that same day in the manse of Crimand, by Mr. Gatherer, 

 to a party of gentlemen after dinner, Mr. Boyd remarked, "If it had been 

 one like me, who does not know much about the workings of the lower 

 animals, that had been so fairly deceived, I would not have thought so much 

 of the matter; but to think of an old nester like you, Mr. E., being so 

 completely done, makes the case certainly a very striking and remarkable one." 



That I was deceived, I freely confess; not that it detracts anything from 

 me, but only adds another to the already innumerable proofs of the wisdom of 

 the adorable Creator, as displayed in the wondrous works of creation. Nature! 

 Nature! oh, how delightful is thy fascinating embrace. There would I ever 

 hold sweet communion with thee. Oh! how lovely, and yet how terrible; 

 how pleasant, yet how sublime is thy fair countenance to look upon. Would 

 that I could but woo thee more on the waters of the mighty deep, 

 in their hidden and fruitful channels; by the ocean's shore, the meadows 

 green, the shady woods, the marshy hollow, the river's side, by the margin 

 of, and on the reedy lake, on the heathy hill, and snow-capped mountain; — • 

 there, either in sunshine or in gloom, in storm or in calm, to behold the 

 mighty wonders of thine hand, the matchless beauty of all thy works, and 

 the perfect harmony and concord which pervades the whole. But, alas! fate 

 has deemed it otherwise, and I must be content, as I am. Brief is the hour, 

 now and then, and from labour stolen; it is all I can give. But we must 

 return. 



Numerous Gulls are to be met with here at all seasons, but particularly 

 towards the end of autumn. During winter the flocks are prodigious, con- 

 sisting of various species, and composed of birds of every grade, from the 

 young of the year up to the adult of many years. As being the most con- 

 spicuous and largest, we will first note the Great Black-backed Gull, {Lams 

 marinus;) the Lesser Black-backed Gull, (L. fuscus;) the Herring Gull, (L. 

 argentatus,) numerous; the Common Gull, (L. canus,) not rare; the Black- 

 headed Gull, (L. ridihundus ;) the Kittiwake, {L. tridactylus;) the Iceland 

 Gull, (L. Icelandicus,) a winter straggler; and last, as being of very rare 

 occurrence, the Ivory Gull, (Z. eburneus.) 



The Common Skua, (Lestris SJcua,) rare here; the Arctic Skua, {L. para- 

 siticus^) and the Richardson's Skua, {L. Pachardsonii,) are to be met with, 

 the latter being the most frequent. Stragglers of this species will occasionally 

 appear during summer. I have a splendid male specimen of Richardson's Skua 

 in my collection, which was killed there on the 15th. of June, 1850. It was 

 a rare occurrence, and is worthy of special notice. 



Leaving BanflF on- the afternoon of the 14th., for the purpose of obtaining 

 a few Little Tern's eggs, if possible. Had to be at home by next afternoon. 

 The distance was thirty miles. Ari'ived at Cairness about eleven o'clock, and 



