XX BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



the Bass Eock; but before paying a contemplated 

 visit to that ancient haunt of the Solan Goose, 

 it will be well to make prior arrangements, in 

 order to save time and prevent disappointment. 



Ailsa Craig is rented by two brothers named 

 Girvau, one of whom lives on the rock and the 

 other at Girvan, on the Ayrshire coast. The one 

 upon the mainland will ferry the visitor across 

 the nine miles or so of ocean, and the brother 

 on the Craig will act as guide over the awesome 

 rock-stack. 



Oban forms a very good base of operations for 

 doing the Hebrides (per Mac Brayne's splendid service 

 of boats) and the mountains round about. John 

 Cowan, boatman, of Corran Esplanade in Oban, is 

 a very intelligent fellow from an ornithological 

 point of view, and owns a good sailing boat where- 

 with the small islands in the adjoining lochs may 

 be profitably worked. The Sliiant Islands may 

 be visited by a hired boat from Tarbert, Harris ; 

 however, we experienced considerable difficulty at 

 this place, by reason of the men being actively 

 engaged in fishing just when we required their 

 services. 



In conclusion, I need hardly say that we shall 

 be extremely grateful to any gentleman kind enough 

 to give us an opportunity of taking the photograph 

 of any bird's nest which does not already appear in 

 this work. 



Borchnm Wood, 



Elsiree, Herts, 1895. 



