A Feathered Criminal 



quarter almost always prevails, and the great gulls loved to 

 soar in the teeth of the breeze far above the topmost point 

 of the island, which is, at its central part, just under 400 feet 

 above sea level. Soaring thus the gulls would periodically 

 rap out their hoarse and far-carrying call, a cry unlike that 

 of any other of the gull tribe. 



Having located a nest in a suitable position for photo- 

 graphing from amongst the colony at the western end of the 

 island — there were here three nests with eggs — we carried 

 our hiding-tent thither late in the evening of July 3, a 

 beautiful calm summer night. On our way back to our camp 

 in the gathering dusk we disturbed several larks roosting in 

 the tussocky grass — for curiously enough there were a few of 

 these songsters even on this Atlantic outpyost — while from 

 the heaps of stones that strewed the shore storm petrels were 

 uttering their purring cries. The next morning we revisited 

 the gulls, but as the first-chosen nest gave no results we 

 moved our hide near to another nest. Next day, finding that 

 this bird had become more or less indifferent to the hide, we 

 moved it closer, setting it up at a distance of about six feet 

 from the eggs. The hide was then carefully camouflaged with 

 pieces of grass and my companion entered it, while I, having 

 walked ostentatiously away, sat down on a knoll two or three 

 hundred yards distant, satisfying myself before my departure 

 that the gull had returned to the nest. Several photographs 

 were taken on this morning, but it was thought inadvisable 

 to disturb the bird unduly on the first day, so, shortly after 

 noon we left her in {>eace, the hide remaining in position. 



On the island a number of bullocks — or stirks, as they 

 are called in Scotland — grazed. These animals usually fed 

 round the hill near the centre of the island, for by judiciously 

 changing their ground they could graze in shelter and com- 

 fort whatever the strength and direction of the wind. Very 

 late in the evening of the day on which we had been photo- 

 graphing the black back the wind fell away, and the stirks, 

 tempted by the fine, calm weather, left the shelter of the hill 



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