8 6 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



in sufficient numbers to supply the vacancy ; besides which the 

 fine weather keeps them out at sea. . We saw a string of Shear- 

 waters (Puffinus anglorum), flying in a flock of about a dozen ; 

 this is their first appearance this year. We also saw a few Solan 

 Geese (Sulci alba), diving and plunging ; their appearance here is 

 a sign that they are on their way to their breeding stations. We 

 were disappointed in our hope of finding Geese on the island, 

 though they seem to have been very numerous there recently. 



On exploring a cavern, from which we procured several broods 

 of young Rock Doves (Golumba livia) last year, we found, as we 

 expected, a nest. The cave is of very great depth, but so narrow 

 as scarcely to allow a person to reach the inner extremity. There 

 we found the nest, made upon the ground, among the shingle, 

 exteriorly formed of dry seaweed, and inside lined with sea-pink. 

 It contained a pair of fresh eggs ; there was a third lying out- 

 side the nest, which the birds seemed to have eaten; 1 it was empty, 

 with only one small hole broken in it, so we took possession of 

 the three eggs in your name. 



While returning we met with several Black Guillemots (Uria 

 grylle). I took a couple and found them to have completely 

 assumed their summer plumage, though it has not yet acquired 

 the brilliancy it possesses in the breeding season. I was about 

 to shoot another which had rather a peculiar appearance, his body 

 being quite black as in summer, while his head and neck retained a 

 great deal of the grey ; but there happened to be a pair of Eider 

 Ducks (Somateria mollissima) at a short distance, and though we 

 could not have got within shot of them, yet I did not wish to 



1 Or possibly eaten by a rat. — Ep. 



