ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 21 



scuttled simultaneously into the water, where, with a 

 violent splashing and vexatious turmoil, they vanished 

 from the sight. Here and there, at various points a vast 

 distance off, they exhibited for a moment their round 

 black heads, resembling in a great degree the larger 

 cannon-shot which, in naval practice, seem to rest for 

 a moment on the surface of the water ere they finally 

 disappear. We steered along the edge of the bank, 

 which now lay exposed like the back of some huge 

 monster of the deep, bare and naked in the scorching 

 sun ; and the death-like stillness of the scene contrasted 

 strangely with its recent animation and enlivenment. 

 Occasionally one would raise its head, but at a distance 

 that only ball could reach, and, whenever I fired, almost 

 before the ball could strike ttye water, would instan- 

 taneously vanish in a clou<^f spray. We now bore 

 away towards the mouth|Mrihe Firth, making for a 

 bank of larger extent, about two miles off the point of 

 Tarbet Ness. Wherever a point of dry sand camts into 

 sight, there would seals be lying the gulls quietly 

 feeding amongst them in the truest spirit of fraternisa- 

 tion, in greater or smaller numbers ; but, ever on the 

 alert, they were off into the deep long before it was in 

 my power to commence offensive operations. 



It was very amusing to scour the distant water with 

 attentive gaze as one or other of us imparted the 

 intelligence in an under tone, " that one of these ani- 

 mals had come up to breathe." We would sometimes 



