BIRD LIFE IN COLONSAY 51 



useless, I suspect that many Crustacea and molluscs now 

 considered rare would turn out to be fairly common, 

 and new species and varieties would be added to the 

 list of British fauna. 



Gulls and terns abounded, but I was not able to 

 identify any but the usual varieties herring gull, 

 greater and lesser black-back, kittiwake, and laughing 

 gull. Richardson's skua was common enough, and could 

 be often seen harassing its unfortunate cousins and 

 robbing them of the fruits of their labours. Its dark 

 feathers and hawk-like flight appropriately designate 

 the corsair of the air. It is a pretty, if not an edify- 

 ing sight to watch this bird pursuing some unfortu- 

 nate kittiwake or tern, and compelling it to drop the 

 glittering prey which it is bearing away in its beak. 

 The larger gulls are terrible poachers and egg stealers, 

 and attack young lambs and even sickly sheep. They 

 are as true carrion-feeders as the raven or crow, and 

 a flock of them on the hillside, rising and settling 

 again in the same place after a short flight, is a sure 

 indication of the presence of some carcase, usually 

 that of a sheep. They are formidable customers with 

 their sharp, powerful beaks. I have always been 

 thankful that my dear old spaniel Ben did not lose 

 his eye when I incautiously sent him for a black-backed 

 gull which I brought down with a pea-rifle bullet as I 

 was sitting eating my sandwich on the brae overlook- 

 ing the Strand. 



It was no great feat of marksmanship, as the 

 big bird close overhead, and almost poised in the 

 wind, presented something very like a sitting shot. 

 Both master and servant were, however, rather sur- 

 prised and pleased to see him come down, and the 



