626 BERNICLA LEUCOPSIS. 



The Islands of Ensay and Religray, in the Sound of 

 Harris, used to be much frequented by these birds. In 

 December, 1823, hearing that a large flock had taken up its 

 residence in the former of these islands, I went to see it ; 

 and on arriving soon found the birds, five or six hundred in 

 number, dispersed over a flat piece of ground, intersected by 

 the ridges and furrows of the lazy bed system of agriculture 

 which so disfigure the pastures there ; but on reconnoitering 

 found it impossible to get within a reasonable distance of 

 them. However, having watched them until dusk, when 

 they seemed to have settled themselves for repose, I crept 

 along a low wall forming an angle about two hundred yards 

 from them. Finding that I could not get nearer, I fired at 

 the thickest part of the flock, aiming very high, having in 

 the obscurity over estimated the distance, and on running 

 up found a single bird which had been hit by a single grain 

 in the eye. Next day I walked all over the island without 

 seeing the Bernicles, and amused myself with chasing the 

 Redshanks, which were not uncommon along the western 

 beach. At length the birds arrived, and alighted on a gentle 

 slope in an open place, to which there seemed no access 

 without exposure. Being there in apparent security they 

 soon began to feed ; on seeing which I crept up to an emi- 

 nence, and finding the nearest birds not more than five 

 hundred paces distant, I cocked my musket, suddenly 

 started, and ran down the declivity with all speed. Before 

 the birds were well on wing I was almost up to them, and 

 as they flew over head I fired into a group, on which three 

 came with a thump to the ground. Two were quite dead, 

 but the third presently got on his feet, and with flapping 

 wings, of which the tip of one was damaged, ran off. I 

 tried to overtake him, but failed, and therefore charged, 

 pursued, fired without hitting, ran, charged, fired a second 

 time to as little purpose, but at length, after a chase of 

 nearly half-a-mile, shot him dead. Having thus obtained 

 my object, I left the island with four Bernicles and a 

 Northern Diver, which I had killed the day before. 



It thus appears that these birds can on occasion run with 

 very considerable speed. In ordinary cases they walk se- 



