CH. VIII. BIRDS. 129 



The greatest number that I saw in any one place 

 was on the island of Handa. 



67. The Goatsucker, an insectivorous bird, al- 

 though not very frequently seen, is easily recognised 

 by the humming noise it utters, which resembles 

 somewhat the low buzzing of a spinning-wheel. 



68. The Cornish Chough, or Red-legged Crow, is 

 rare. It fixes upon the most lofty and steep pre- 

 cipices for its abode. I saw it near Durness. 1 



69. The Haven manages, notwithstanding the 

 constant war waged against him, to keep his ground, 

 and to continue tolerably numerous. I constantly 

 see a pair or more of them playing grotesque antics, 

 and uttering varied and strange cries upon some 

 isolated rock on the mountain side, from which they 

 can have a good view of any approaching enemy. 

 Their chief location is, however, along the sea- 

 shore, and about the rocky islands, where they 

 can get a good supply of dead fish, seals, etc. 



70. The Carrion Crow is rare; but, 



71. The Hooded Crow is numerous everywhere, 

 in spite of traps and guns. Wary and strong, they 

 manage to evade all attempts at their extirpation, 

 and to keep up their indiscriminate and wholesale 

 destruction of eggs of every kind. I consider the 

 hooded crow to be the greatest enemy to game, 

 and indeed to all other birds, that we have. I 



1 See Appendix, page 345. 

 VOL. I. K 



