260 A Sportsman at Large 



There was certainly an immense number of wild fowl to 

 be seen, as we sped on our way between the islands and out 

 into the open sea. Eider-duck, little auk, and the common 

 sea-birds such as razor-bills, puffins, gannets, guillemots, 

 great black-backed gulls, and the lesser ones of the same 

 ilk were in abundance. I also spotted a great skua, and 

 watched with interest, and some disgust, its nasty habit of 

 chivvying the gulls after they had finished their meal, and 

 by constant bullying, causing them to disgorge the half- 

 digested fishes which they had caught, and gobbling 

 them up. 



At last Gunn called out that a bunch of divers were in sight. 

 He declared that they were of the "great northern" variety ; 

 but as soon as I was near enough, I found that he was wrong 

 and that they were of their smaller, but hardly less beautiful, 

 cousins of the black throated ilk. 



They appeared to be tame enough ; so when within thirty 

 yards of them, I let fly at the male bird, which was leading 

 the others probably the female and a clutch of young ones. 

 My shot did not appear to have much effect, which did not 

 altogether surprise me, for I knew how well these birds are 

 protected by their dense plumage, which is apt to deflect the 

 shot. To be effective this must be placed in a vital spot. 

 Then a curious thing happened. Whilst the rest of the birds 

 dived and disappeared, the one which I had fired at, turned 

 round and swam flapping, straight for the boat uttering plain- 

 tive cries. On reaching it the poor creature tried to scramble 

 up over the gunwale, as if being hurt and sorely terrified 

 it was trying to induce us to come to its aid and afford it 

 sanctuary. Gunn lifted it out in the landing-net. At first 

 I could find no sign of a shot wound, and I was therefore in 

 hopes that we could take the bird alive as a valuable addition 

 to the Zoological Gardens, of which I was a Fellow ; but on 

 closer inspection I saw that a ruby-like bead of blood was 

 welling up at the back of the poor thing's head ; so, after 

 leaving it to rest for a few minutes, I gently returned it to the 

 water ; but as the boat sped on, it again tried to follow, though 

 so slowly that it gradually fell astern. At last it passed 

 out of sight. 



