LETTER XXII. 159 



constitute himself a sea beadle amongst his lesser fish-hunting 

 associates. The Cormorant and Goosander's motion is a striking 

 contrast to that of the Northern Loon. These jerk back their 

 necks preparatory to the spring, then, with a most vigorous effort, 

 almost skip out of the water and plunge down head foremost like 

 a bather taking a " header." A Golden-eye was bobbing up and 

 down over a bank of sea grass, his fatter proportions requiring 

 considerable exertion and a good somersault to get safely down to 

 the bottom. On rising, so buoyant did he appear, that he almost 

 seemed to shoot out of the water ark-like ; while he invariably 

 reappeared in the very centre of the rings which the splash of 

 his descent had made. The Great Northern Diver, on the con- 

 trary, emerges between four and five gunshots from where he went 

 down, his long, black, frigate-like hull rising slowly to the surface 

 and shooting along with great " weigh on." The Puffins and 

 Guillemots— poor things ! — having no neck to speak of, just pop 

 down any way they best can, cocking up their little tail ends 

 towards heaven, as they bid farewell to the superficial things of the 

 world, and opening their wings to assist them to scuttle down. 



In the early part of June myriads of Puffins visit us and 

 remain two or three weeks. I have seen them flying in 

 thousands up Loch Gilp and out again, without any apparent 

 object, unless it be that they are disappointed to find it a cul-de- 

 sac, and are afraid to fly overland. It really seems as though 

 they had made an error in their navigation, and taking the 

 wrong side of the Mull of Cantyre on their way north, till, on 

 arriving at the head of Loch Gilp, they find themselves non- 

 plussed. Loons, Scarts, and Geese I often see flying high across 



