170 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



yonng in comparative peace, as boats are (or rather 

 ■were, for I have not visited the spot for some years) 

 scarce on the loch, and it is but seklom that the 

 country people are able to reach the islands to obtain 

 their eggs. 



Those who have only viewed this beautiful loch 

 under the influence of a bright sky and a gentle 

 breeze, would never credit the fury of the squalls that 

 at times gather among the surrounding hills and burst 

 with but scantv warning over its surface. On one 

 occasion, when I had sent on the previous day to the 

 keeper to ask for the use of the boat, I found on 

 arriving at the spot that three girls had come down 

 from the hills in hopes of getting out to procure a 

 few basketfuls of eggs. After landing them on the 

 Islands where the Gulls were most plentiful, Ave pro- 

 ceeded to search for the nests of Geese and Divers, or 

 other rarities that mi^ht fall in our wav. Thouj^h 

 the early morning had been fine and still, the day 

 by noon had clouded over and rain and wind set in. 

 For some hours we delayed our return-voyage in 

 expectation that the weather would moderate, but the 

 longer we waited the worse grew^ the storm. At last, 

 while attempting to reach the shore with a large cargo 

 of eggs, we were struck by a squall, which came roaring 

 across the loch, with a blinding cloud of spray, and 

 driven back on one of the islands, the breaking of an 

 oar sending two of the crew to the bottom of the boat, 

 where they rolled about with the eggs, which were now 

 being dashed from side to side. On working our 

 craft into a sheltered bay, and landing our terror- 

 stricken passengers, we were forced to work hard to 

 repair the damages we had received, and by the time 



