WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



The next sized gull which is common here is the blue- 

 back,* a beautiful clean-looking bird, though, as far as fish 

 is concerned, as great a glutton as the two last-named 

 kinds. This bird is particularly conspicuous in its attacks on 

 the salmon-fry as they descend the river in May.Thousands 

 of them fish in the shallow pools at low-water in the bay, 

 and every bird seems to feed wholly on these silvery little 

 creatures as long as they are to be had. The quantity that 

 they disgorge when shot is perfectly astonishing, and they 

 must be one of the most destructive enemies that the sal- 

 mon has. Besides these larger kinds of gulls there are sever- 

 al smaller species, who hover constantly about the shore 

 and sand-banks, drifting to and fro, and beating against the 

 wind in search of any prey, and darting fearlessly into the 

 very foam ofthe breakers to obtain it,or floating as buoyant- 

 lyas corks at a respectful distance from the larger gulls, who 

 maybe engaged intearingtopieces any cast up carcass,and 

 beins: content to catch at the smaller morsels which are de- 

 tached unperceived by the rightful owners ofthe prize. 



I was much amused the other day by the proceedings of 

 a pair ofthe black-toed gull, or boatswain. fThese two birds 

 weresittingquietlyon an elevated ridgeof sand, near which 

 a number of other gulls of different kinds were fishing and 

 hovering about in search of what the waves might cast up. 

 Every bird, indeed, was busy andemployed, exceptingthese 

 two black robbers, who seemed to be quietly resting, quite 

 unconcerned. When, however, a gull had picked up a prize, 

 these birds seemed instinctively to know it, and darting off 



* The Common Gull (Larus (anus). — Ed. 



t The Skua or Bonxic (Lestrii calarr/mcles). — Ed. 



