STORM PETREL. 509 



and gestures of a crowd of people on shore. 'Luckily, this was 

 accomplished, and we had the satisfaction of landing up to the 

 armpits in a mass of rotten seaweed which had accumulated in 

 this narrow inlet, and through which we dragged ourselves and 

 the boat to the beach. We were glad to leave it there, six miles 

 from the harbour we should have returned to. A more sea- 

 worthy boat than our own was detained at Ailsa nearly three days 

 during the same storm; and the gale which had thrown us so 

 unceremoniously among the seaweed stranded a sloop within a 

 mile of the spot and dashed it to pieces. 



Twenty years ago my valued correspondent, Mr Graham, of 

 whom I now take leave in these pages, communicated some very 

 interesting notes on the Stormy Petrel, the insertion of the sub- 

 stance of which may not inappropriately bring my labours to a 

 close. Mr Graham became acquainted with the bird through a 

 mere accident. He had, while residing at lona, made frequent 

 excursions to the famous isle of Staffa in a small boat of his own 

 named " The Ornithologist," and on one of these occasions had 

 been compelled, through a sudden storm, to remain alone all night 

 on this isolated roosting place under shelter of his boat, which he 

 drew up on the landing and turned bottom upwards for the 

 purpose. Of course, in the circumstances, sleep was impossible; 

 and during the night he heard the most curious buzzing sounds 

 emanating from the rough stony ground he was lying upon. 

 They were not continuous, but broken every ten seconds or so by 

 a sharp click. Waiting until daylight, he found the strange music 

 issuing from beneath his feet; guided by the sound, he commenced 

 removing the heavy stones ; and being encouraged in his labours 

 by hearing the sounds nearer and more distinct sometimes 

 ceasing, then recommencing he worked away till the noise and 

 rolling of the rocks seemed to provoke the subterranean musician 

 to renewed efforts, until with a vigorous exertion the last great 

 stone was rooted out and the mystery laid bare. He saw a little 

 black object shuffling off, leaving its small white egg lying on a 

 few blades of dry grass which protected it from the hard rock. 

 It made no attempt to escape, as if dazzled by the glare of day- 

 light, or stunned by the depth of its misfortune, but lay passively 

 in his hand when he took it up, uttering only a faint squeak of 

 surprise at the outrage. From this romantic island Mr Graham 

 afterwards procured several young birds, which he kept in confine- 



