THE EFFECT OF A SHOT. 101 



number of Hcrriiio-- Gulls were searching the refuse 

 lieaj) in front of it for some garbage upon which 

 they might make a breakfast. 



Presently I saw a pair of Ravens come round 

 the breast of steep ]\Iullach Oshival. They were 

 flying at a very leisurely pace, and appeared to be 

 coming straight towards me. I waited with bated 

 breath, tliinkino- thev would discover the feast I 

 had provided for them ; but alas ! they only croaked 

 solemnly to each other, and passed on to the other 

 end of the village. 



Half an hour later I heard a Grey Crow speak 

 out close at hand. A fleeting shadow passed the 

 chinks in the wall, and he plumped down with con- 

 siderable clatter on the roof of the cleit immediately 

 over my head. I kept perfectly still, and in a few 

 .seconds he made out the position of tlie carrion 

 and winged his way straight to it. Just as he 

 alighted my eye ran along the gun-barrel, there 

 was a reverberating bang, and one Hooded- Crow 

 less to trouble the natives of Hirta by stealing the 

 eggs and young of their precious Ijirds. 



The report of my fowling-piece set every dog 

 in tlie village barking madly, and sent a crowd of 

 Lesser Black-l)acks and Herring- Gulls away from 

 their morning meal at the midden heaps to protest 

 loudly against me for the fright I had given them, 

 as they circled higher and higher in tlie air over 

 my head. 



After I had picked up my trophy and prepared 

 him for the skinning-knife, I re-entered my place 

 of hiding; but to small purpose, as ihe old maid's 

 cats living next door to us scented my offal, and 

 by their assiduous attentions made it impossible for 

 me to get another shot. 



The greatest sight of all, from an ornithological 



