300 STUDIES IN BIRD-]\IIGRATION 



able when on the wing. It sat on the water more 

 buoyantly than the other gulls around it, and was 

 generally more elegant in form than any of them. 



The next species deserving mention is the 

 Sooty Shearwater, a bird which has no place in 

 Rodd's Birds of Co7'nwall, and is described in the 

 Birds of Devonshi7^e as "a very rare and accidental 

 visitor" to that county. I saw single examples on 23rd 

 September, and on 12th (two at different times), 14th, 

 and 19th October, the last day being that of my 

 departure. It is possible that this bird was not very 

 uncommon just beyond the range of identification, where 

 the shoals of pilchards were frequent and proved a great 

 attraction to various other species. 



Great Shearwaters were very common throughout 

 my visit, but were seen in varying numbers ; on some 

 days a few only skimming the waters around the light- 

 house, while on others they were extremely abundant. 

 When the immense shoals of pilchards were in the 

 vicinity, I witnessed some interesting scenes in which 

 a number of this species played a leading part, dashing 

 into the water in the most spirited style to secure their 

 prey ; as did also multitudes of less agile Gulls of various 

 kinds, upon whom, in turn, numerous Skuas were in 

 close and pressing attendance. The whole formed a 

 most animated scene— one whose interest was occasion- 

 ally further heightened by the presence of a school of 

 small cetaceans, which rolled and jumped about in all 

 directions among the much-persecuted fish. The 

 Manx Shearwater was frequently seen between 29th 

 September and 14th October, but was not at all 

 numerous. 



To return to the migratory species among the 



