88 ORNITHOLOGICAL KAMBLES. 



breakfast-table from Joseph Dunn, intimating that, as 

 all things wore so favourable an aspect, the boat would 

 be in readiness by ten o'clock. 



Once more, then, we are under weigh, her head to 

 the southward, a fair breeze prevailing, and our little 

 craft careering madly " o'er the glad waters of the dark 

 blue sea." As we cleared the entrance to the bay, we 

 passed under the wake of the magnificent Hudson's 

 Bay ships, proudly resting on their cables in the roads. 

 After a few tacks, bay, town, ships, and all the various 

 prominences of the fast-receding landscape, dwindled 

 into indistinctness, and then became gradually in- 

 visible. Joseph now caught sight of a northern diver, 

 and the concomitant excitement which ensued must 



have agreeably amused Mr. D , a young gentleman 



staying in the island on account of his health, and whom 

 I had invited to join us in our day's sail. These birds, 

 at all times the most active, wary, and adroit of any 

 that frequent our shores, are most difficult to procure, 

 even when the presence of numbers affords a choice of 

 shot. This one must have been quite the laggard of 

 the season, as it was the only one that was observed, 

 ere it dived to be seen no more. 



In about an hour we rounded the point of Holm, on 

 which were a few common gulls, and entered the rapid 

 and (at times) most dangerous waters of the Scapa 

 Flow. Here and there were single instances, or pairs, 

 as the case might be, of the greater blackbacked gull 



