NOTES ON BIRDS OBSERVED IN THE SCOTTISH ISLANDS 9 



I had the Island all to myself, as it is only visited occasion- 

 ally by men bringing cattle from Barra. 



A couple of Mallard, a Heron, and a large number of 

 Barnacle Geese got up as I landed. Feeling sure that I 

 should meet with the Geese again later, I made my way 

 up to the higher ground, hoping to see Snow Buntings, 

 which I was told had arrived, but was unsuccessful. Twites 

 and Starlings were the commonest of the small birds. The 

 Rock-Pipit, which strays a considerable distance from the 

 shore, was common also, Meadow-Pipits were fairly numerous, 

 and three Golden Plovers allowed me to get very near them. 



The upper ground not being very productive for bird 

 watching, I made my way down to the shore, keeping a 

 sharp look-out for the Geese. Half-way down the hill I 

 saw them in a sandy bay on the N.E. side of the Island. 

 The sand-hills afford excellent stalking ground, and 

 I got within forty yards of them, looking down at them 

 from above. There were 307. Once they caught sight 

 of my dog and all were immediately on the alert, but 

 they very soon got bored with watching, and, leaving their 

 safety to the vigilance of three sentinels, settled down 

 to the cares of their toilet and sleep. Seeing a great many 

 birds off a rocky promontory, I disturbed the Geese as little 

 as possible, and made my way down to it, hiding behind a 

 rock. I had not been there two minutes before the Geese, 

 which had only had their suspicions aroused, began to return. 

 Time after time they flew so close over my head that I could 

 almost have hit them with a stick — " Che Foo," who under- 

 stands stalking as well as his mistress, keeping as still as 

 a rock. 



In the bay close to me were large flocks of Mergansers. 

 Two Red-throated Divers in winter plumage came close in 

 to the rocks, and I saw another farther out at sea. Many 

 unsuspicious seals poked their noses up within a few yards 

 of me, sinking again like floating bottles gradually filled with 

 water. Great Northern Divers are very numerous, some of 

 them being still in summer plumage, save for a little whiten- 

 ing of the chin and upper throat. A few Razorbills, Common 

 Guillemots, and Black Guillemots (which are now very white 

 Guillemots) were diving about amongst the Mergansers. 



