OBSERVATIONS ON LIVE BIRDS. 545 



and shaking it, probably endeavouring to tear it to pieces. 

 Here too is a pair of lovely Long-tailed Ducks, Harelda gla- 

 cialis. 



The sands are strewed with razor-shells and algge : — Venus 

 pullastra, Venus gallina, Venus exoleta, Cyprina islandica, 

 Buccinum undatum — but our business is not at present to ga- 

 ther shells. Let us see what these crows are eating. 



It is a large Sea-Devil, or Frog-fish, Lophius piscatorius. 

 On the links are scattered many Gulls : the Great Black- 

 backed, the Herring Gull, Larus canus, and Larus ridibundus, 

 together with a great number of Hooks and some Daws. Three 

 weeks ago, when about the middle of the Frith, I saw two of 

 these birds crossing from Newhaven to Pettycur, with a strong 

 westerly side-wind, and it was curious to observe that they ad- 

 vanced sidewise, keeping their heads to the wind, when it blew 

 fresh, and shooting along in the quieter intervals, sometimes 

 gliding rapidly as if they had met with a clear space, and again 

 making little progress, as if it required nearly all their eftbrts 

 to maintain their place. Gulls, although unsteady fliers, shoot 

 along in their desultory manner with much more ease ; but the 

 smaller waders beat all in their flight, no gale appearing to im- 

 pede their progress. 



See that thin dusky streak far away over the water ! Now 

 it expands and curves. It is singular enough, if it be vapour. 



It is a flock, and a large one too, of Sandpipers, probably 

 Tringa Cinclus, crossing the Frith. The Thrushes have been 

 busy with these snails with which the stone-wall is crusted ; 

 but at present not a single small bird is to be seen on these 

 bare pastures. If we visit the stack-yard on the hill-side, M-e 

 shall probably meet with many. 



Some of the ricks have been sadly plundered : the straws 

 are lying about, and the husks emptied. 



These depredations have been committed by the Rooks. 

 You see them covering that solitary stack at a distance. The 

 Corn Bunting has been accused of pulling out the straws de- 

 liberately to get at the seeds, but I have never seen it do so, 

 even in the Hebrides, where it is very abundant, and the 

 straws being short and slender, more easily removed. In truth, 



VOL. III. N N 



