LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. (SUMMER.) 



Case 217. 



The present species is perhaps the most 

 numerous of our British Sea Gulls, breeding on 

 various rocky parts of the coast, and in colonies of 

 smaller or larger size on the inland lochs of 

 Scotland. 



The islands on Loch Maree in the West of 

 Ross-shire are resorted to every season by thousands 

 of pairs of these birds. They are here permitted 

 to rear their young in comparative peace ? as boats 

 are (or rather were, for I have not visited the spot 

 for some years) scarce on the loch, and' it is but 

 seldom that the country people are able to reach 

 the islands to obtain their eggs. 



Those who have only viewed this beautiful 

 loch under the influence of a bright sky and a gentle 

 breeze would never credit the fury of the squalls 

 that at times gather among the surrounding hills 

 and burst with but scanty warning over its surface. 

 On one occasion when I had sent on the previous 

 day to the keeper to ask for the use of the boat I 

 found on arriving at the spot that three girls had 

 come down from the hills in hopes of getting out to 

 procure a few basketfuls of eggs. After landing 

 them on the Islands where the Gulls were most 

 plentiful we proceeded to search for the nests of 

 Geese and Divers or other rarities that might fall 

 in our way. Though the early morning had been 

 fine and still the day by noon had clouded over and 

 rain and wind set in. For some hours we delayed 

 our return-voyage in expectation that the weather 

 would moderate, but the longer we waited the 

 worse grew the storm. At last while attempting 

 to reach the shore with a large cargo of eggs, we 

 were struck by a squall which came roaring across 

 the loch with a blinding cloud of spray, and driven 

 back on one of the islands, the breaking of an oar 

 sending two of the crew to the bottom of the boat 



