CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 25! 



the rugged, wave-hollowed cliffs facing the Atlantic," 

 etc. The same author also gives the coasts of Wales, 

 Isle of Man, Flamborough Head, Northumberland, 

 and the west coast of Scotland as breeding-stations. 



When I used to fish pretty frequently at Loch 

 Boisdale in South Uist some years ago, it was 

 quite a common practice for the visitors — when 

 fishing was slack — to make up parties to go round 

 the coast and visit all the caves in the neighbour- 

 hood for the purpose of shooting Rock Pigeons. 

 As one could not land to do this, and consequently 

 had to stand in a boat that probably was rocking 

 about in a choppy sea, it required one to be rather 

 an expert in the way of quick shooting to make any 

 sort of hand at these birds, as they darted out of the 

 caves at all sorts of angles. I don't suppose anyone 

 who has not tried it could understand how difficult it 

 is, when you make due allowance that the Rock Dove 

 is a very tough bird to bring down and takes a lot 

 of shot. 



The specimens in the case were shot out of the 

 caverns that abound on the weather-beaten coast- 

 line of Mull — previously mentioned in connection 

 with several of my specimens which were obtained 

 there. 



R2 



