316 LOCH C RE RAN. 



fully. There are three little fuzzy balls among the 

 stones. At last the eye rests upon them, and as the 

 owner's hand follows his sight, and seeks to secure one 

 of the little fellows, the creature sets off at a hard 

 stagger. These are young oyster catchers, and are not 

 unlike the young of the plover genus. Another 

 companion calls to us as he stands at the edge of the 

 gravel with a droll smile on his face. Beneath him 

 three dead ( !) gulls are lying, one in the nest just out of 

 the egg, the other two having tumbled out of the nest 

 into odd corners where their hue admirably aids in 

 hiding them. Crossing another gravel strand we laugh 

 outright at the spectacle presented. Two young gulls 

 on the rampage had heard our advancing steps, and 

 there they were some yards apart, with their heads thrust 

 into hollows in the gravel, imagining themselves, or 

 hoping that they were, concealed. Stupid wretches, you 

 mutter ! but how about the fact that they very nearly 

 succeeded in eluding our sight, although they are but a 

 day or two old, while you and I have played at hiding 

 in a still more imbecile way at as many years of age. A 

 child at a few years is like a young bird, and fancies that 

 perfect stillness freedom from movement and sound 

 is the main element in concealment ; and both are right, 

 as nothing catches the eye like the smallest movement, 

 while a large dull immovable object will escape our 

 observation. 



Not a merganser, not a sheldrake to be seen ; what is 

 the meaning of this ? First one egg, then another, then 

 a group of eggs, followed by group after group all sucked 

 empty as we proceed around the islet. What can be the 

 cause of this? The grey crows have steadily robbed 

 ever}' nest of sheldrake, sawbill duck, and wild duck in 



