CH. VI. ROCK-PIGEONS, 85 



and is seen again, issuing from the rocks within this 

 cavern, through which it runs for a short distance 

 till it empties itself into the sea. 



Numbers of the common house martin were flying 

 about the cave, and building their nests in the niches 

 of the rocks. In some of the dark, damp corners, 

 where there seems to be a constant dripping from 

 the roof, were clusters of bright green ferns, and 

 other plants, in great variety. On some parts of 

 the shore the rocks are quite perpendicular for a great 

 height — I should say about three hundred feet ; in 

 others they are worn into numerous fantastic shapes 

 and caverns by the action of the waves. 



Although the wind had now fallen, the swell 

 was tremendous, dashing the spray halfway up 

 the rocks. It was a curious sight to see the 

 rock-pigeons flying rapidly into the caves, some- 

 times dashing like lightning through the very 

 spray of the breakers, scarcely topping the crests 

 of the waves, which roared and raged through 

 the narrow caverns where these beautiful birds 

 breed. The rock-pigeons were very numerous here, 

 and constantly flying between their wild but secure 

 breeding-places and the small fields about Durness. 

 I shot a few of them, and found their crops full 

 of green food, such as clover, the leaves of the oat, 

 &c. : a number of small shells were also in the 



