56 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



wonderfully close, but on most occasions they are wary 

 and shy to a degree. On the present occasion Joseph 

 gave me very little hope of obtaining a specimen 

 unless any very lucky chance should turn up. With 

 the exception of the few cases I have mentioned, both 

 the sea and the air were literally barren of any living 

 thing; and it would have been difficult to have 

 persuaded oneself that the lapse of a few short 

 moments would witness the very opposite extreme, 

 almost amounting to redundance. 



Measuring to the utmost the fast-dying currents of 

 the breeze, we now draw near the magnificent 

 extremity of Hoy Island, formed at this point by varied 

 rocky coves of gently-rising craig, and beautifully 

 backed by the cone-shaped hill of Hoy, towering to the 

 right in the memorable and stupendous Head. Raising 

 my glass, as we approached, and carefully scrutinising 

 every nook and cranny, my delight was unbounded at 

 the aspect of the scene ; but when the eye was enabled 

 to take in a wider grasp by a nearer approach, words 

 must fail in making description simulate even a faint 

 reality of that which met its gize. Resting upon every 

 possible projection, and upon innumerable ledges, so 

 small, narrow, arid constrained, that to all appearance 

 there was scarcely space for a mouse's thoroughfare, 

 that lovely bird the kittivvake (Larus tridactylus) 

 abounded in myriads and myriads ; and, while our 

 closer neighbourhood was the signal for thousands to 



