NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BELL ROCK. 103 



sporting amongst the breakers. The other evening he was 

 seen within a few yards of the tower, busy devouring a huge 

 cod. Mastication was entirely dispensed with ; tilting his 

 snout in the air, each ragged mouthful disappeared at a single 

 gulp. The fish was allowed to sink after every mouthful ; and 

 two or three minutes would be spent under water before 

 bringing it to the surface for another attack. In a remarkably 

 short time the head and backbone alone were left. 



Our feathered visitors for the month were represented by 

 a couple of skylarks, three song thrushes, a pair of carrion 

 crows, and a solitary starling. Eiders and longtails still 

 continue in attendance, and gannets are now plentiful. The 

 latter arrived at their breeding haunt on the Bass Rock from 

 their southern sojourn on the 9th of last month. 



The month has been wet, cold, and stormy, exceptionally 

 heavy seas prevailing in the earlier half. The closing day of 

 the month was beautifully clear and sunny, but cold and 

 frosty, our heliograph intimating on that date a similar state 

 of weather on shore. 



