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TJic Country Gcntlcmaiis Magazine 



disintegrated red sandstone and marl suggest the idea 

 of sleeping volcanic embers, which we found during 

 the heat of mid-day had more than a mere resem- 

 blance. I do not think I have ever witnessed a scene 

 so perfect in its desolation. However, we determined 

 to descend in spite of the stewing heat and reflection 

 from the hillocks on each side. Whilst threading our 

 way among a series of narrow lanes we came on a 

 young houriar (Caprovis Vignei), just dropped, and 

 evidently abandoned by its mother on seeing us ap- 

 proach. Several herds of rams (which separate from 

 the ewes during the breeding season) were observed 

 dashing across ravines, offering a snap shot occasion- 

 ally. As we anticipated, the heat by noon became 

 excessive, and our thirst intolerable. No water 

 could be procured save Avhat ^^■as strongly im- 

 pregnated with salt. At last exhausted, I gave in, and 



must have been verging on a coup dc soldi, as my senses 

 began to leave me, and I felt that both eyesight and 

 hearing were rapidly failing, accompanied by a loud 

 buzzing sound in both ears. In this condition I lay 

 stretched on one of the red banks, whilst the Shikaree 

 set off in search of a spring. I think I may have re- 

 mained for nearly half an hour in this condition \\\\&\\ 

 I was aroused by the voice of a native, and looking 

 up, beheld a half naked man carrying a basin of milk 

 and platter full of cakes, which he at once begged I 

 would accept. This good Samaritan had seen my 

 distress from his grass-built hut on the top of a 

 neighbouring hill, where he resided for the purpose of 

 guarding a vein of salt. Never can I forget the kind- 

 ness of the poor fellow, who, unsolicited, came to my 

 aid at a time his services were so sorely needed." — (P. 

 150-) 



BIRD MURDER ON THE BASS ROCK AND AILS A CRAIG. 



A WRITER in the editorial columns of 

 the Edinburgh Conra7it discusses the 

 bird murder which has been carried on at the 

 Bass Rock and Ailsa Craig in the following 

 terms : — 



In the articles that have appeared in our 

 columns on the grouse question — which, de- 

 spite the elections, is at present one of the 

 questions of the day with country gentlemen 

 and others interested in the economy of the 

 moors — we have always advocated that, in 

 practice as in theory, the balance of nature 

 should be as little disturbed as possible. We 

 said so during last grouse season, and this 

 year we have over and over again taken occa- 

 sion to repeat our opinion ; and, as was the 

 case last year, we are supported by an im- 

 portant utterance of the British Association, 

 besides some excellent corroborative evi- 

 dence which has recently been communi- 

 cated to the Times about bird murder at 

 Ailsa Craig and the Bass Rock. 



One would have supposed that the Solan 

 geese of these island crags might have been 

 allowed to go on for ever undisturbed, ex- 

 cept by occasional parties of shooters and 

 egg-gatherers. They have, of course, their 

 mission to fulfil in the economy of nature, 

 and the space on which they live being so 



limited they could scarcely increase to such 

 an extent as to become a nuisance to in- 

 land living persons. If any class of human 

 beings has a right to object to them 

 and to insist upon their extermination it 

 is the fisherman, for these birds live chiefly 

 upon fish, and are said to eat an extraordi- 

 nary number of herrings — millions per annum, 

 we are told ! So far, however, from the 

 fishermen desiring the destruction of these 

 animals, they rather like them, as they play 

 an important part in the gathering of the 

 herring harvest — they guide the men to the 

 fish. The herring gulls — as the sailors call 

 these birds — have a keen scent for a shoal of 

 fish. We have seen hundreds of them hover- 

 ing over the water, and we knew by the sign 

 that the herrings were below them in serried 

 armies of incalculable strength. The wise men 

 of the Isle of Man decreed last year that sea 

 gulls ought to be preserved by statute, and 

 accordingly an Act was passed by the Tyn- 

 wald, which received the Royal assent, de- 

 creeing that any person destroying a gull, 

 taking its eggs, or having in his possession 

 any plumage recently stripped from these 

 birds, should forfeit the sum of ^5. The 

 preamble of the Act states that the birds are 

 considered of great importance to fishermen 



