396 PHALACROCORAX GRACULUS. 



in Harris, covering the sea to a considerable extent, on their 

 passage from the caves of Liuir and Toe-head to their fishing- 

 stations in the sound. I have counted a hundred and five in 

 one flock, and the number exceeded this considerably, as 

 many were under water at the time. The nest is composed 

 of sea-w^eeds, heather, and various materials picked up on the 

 water, and clumsily put together. The eggs two or three, 

 bluish-white, sub-elliptical, very narrow in proportion to their 

 length. May and June : The young are for some weeks 

 covered with black down. While commencing the act of 

 diving, they rise with a spring entirely out of the water. 

 Though very rank and dark-coloured, the flesh is eaten by 

 the poor people here. The young are delicate, and previous 

 to being fledged, have not the fishy taste of the full-gi-own 

 birds. 



Brief and abrupt as this must appear, it will afford us a 

 text. There is a lai'ge cave on the Avest coast of Harris cele- 

 brated for the number of Scarts which reside in it, and so 

 lofty that a boat can enter to a considerable distance Avithout 

 havingr the masts taken down. I have several times visited 

 it for the purpose of shooting the birds in the breeding sea- 

 son, when they had numerous nests on its sides. When Ave 

 appear off" the mouth of the cave, Ave see a considerable num- 

 ber of Scarts conspicuously perched on the little shelves and 

 projections, their dusky figures strongly relicA-ed by the 

 whitened surface of the rock. Some of them fly overhead as 

 we approach, but more drop into the water like a stone. On 

 looking doAvn, Ave see them rapidly Avending their Avay under 

 the boat, flying Avith outspread Avings, and not at all in the 

 manner represented by some, who say that this bird propels 

 itself under Avater entirely by the feet and tail. Of this I am 

 certain, having been an eye-Avitness of the fact. Glancing 

 aloft, we see many Black Guillemots in the clefts, and above 

 them the eyrie of the White-tailed Sea-Eagle ; but our busi- 

 ness is Avith the Scarts, which, noAV alarmed, are seen Avrith- 

 ing their long necks as they gaze upon us. Presently a shot 

 is fired — another ; the dead birds drop on the Avater, the 

 living plunge headlong into it, many advance on Aving, but, 

 being frightened by the upraised oars, dart into the Avater 



