NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OP THE BELL ROCK. 13 



sometimes happens, an old one has mistaken it for its own 

 offspring, and only discovers the error when about to drop the 

 glistening prize into its gaping mouth. Woe to the gull who 

 dares invade their sphere of operations when following a 

 shoal of "fry"; he is soon put to rout at the point of the 

 bayonet for their bills are quite as sharp pointed. While 

 stationed in Orkney I have, when in the vicinity of their nests, 

 been "assaulted to the effusion of blood" as the police reports 

 say, their bills easily penetrating my tweed cap. Horses and 

 cattle are driven in mad flight before these bold little birds, 

 they all the while pecking mercilessly till well clear of their 

 nursery. 



The pleasure steamers which formerly visited the Rock 

 from Leith and Dundee have this summer scarcely made an 

 appearance, possibly the attractions of the Glasgow Exhibition 

 is the cause ; as yet, only three visits have been made, and 

 these from. Dundee. An hour's fishing is generally given the 

 passengers by the Dundee steamer. The diversity of tackle 

 with which some of these amateur fishermen are equipped is 

 fearful, and clock-weights, half-bricks, and scrap-iron of every 

 conceivable shape take the place of the ordinary sinker. 

 Closely ranged along the vessel's sides, one can imagine the 

 result of lines so differently weighted, and should a fish be 

 hooked confusion follows. If the sea happens to be a bit 

 " choppy " many of them may be seen earnestly engaged in 

 compulsorily contributing to the support of their erstwhile 

 intended prey, each drawing his own line of demarcation down 

 the vessel's side, as if suspicious of his neighbour encroaching 

 on his territory. 



