MARTIN. 401 



same place, and rearing its nest even in the same 

 hollow or corner. These, however, are its arti- 

 ficial stations. In what may be called its wild or 

 natural state, it would seem rather inclined to 

 alpine situations, the windows of a Highland inn 

 in a muirish or half alpine district being a very 

 favourite resort, attracted probably from the 

 neighbouring rocks by the greater variety of 

 food incident to the vicinity of poultry and 

 cattle ; its really natural breeding situations, by 

 no means commonly met with, are generally 

 on the face of some steep cliff or overhanging 

 rock, to which the nests can be easily attached ; 

 they are built at one spot, not dispersed to any 

 distance, and often touch each other. Mr Selby 

 mentions one of these natural eyries on the lofty 

 precipices of St Abb's Head. There was another 

 on the rocks of the coast opposite the Bass Rock, 

 where the whole colony, amounting to a hundred 

 or a hundred and twenty, had their nests placed 

 within the space of the roof of an ordinary-sized 

 room under an overhanging rock. We met with 

 another large colony in a more northern district, 

 Sutherlandshire, where the face of a limestone 

 precipice was occupied. These are busy and 

 interesting communities ; the parent birds con- 

 tinually flying to and fro, uttering their cheerful 

 whistle of recognition of their own household, 

 and bringing food to their young, or to their mate 

 while incubating ; both sexes may often be seen 

 in the nest together, and they spend the night 

 thus. Any noise or interruption beneath causee 

 2c 



