The Birds of Shje. 129 



Falco cescdon. — Eesident, generally distributed, but not 

 very plentiful, though I know of two localities where the 

 Merlin breeds every year. From one of these, in a wild 

 glen, overshadowed by one of Macleod's Tables, I took the 

 young in feather on June 28th in 1884, but we always 

 endeavour to spare the old ones, and I only know of one 

 trapped on the property in the last four years. In 1885 we 

 found the young strong winged on July 13, and examined 

 their dissecting table, a huge slab of grey rock, festooned 

 with moss and yellow lichen, the moss torn by the claws of 

 the Merlins, and befouled by their rejecta and the feathers 

 of their quarry — Meadow Pipits and Wheatears.^ 



Tinnunculus alaudarius. — Eesident, nesting about Dun- 

 vegan Head. I have observed its presence in mid-winter. 

 In May 1883 I took a Kestrel out of a trap on Waterstein, 

 which Mr 0. V. Aplin recorded as " a fairly old male, with 

 bluish head and tail ; this colour was very pale, and the red 

 of the body was really more of a yellowish brown, and 

 presented a most washed out appearance" (ZooL, 1884, 

 p. 68). 



Pandion haliaetus. — Casual visitant. An Osprey, shot on 

 Loch Bracadale in May 1878, is preserved at Dunvegan 

 Castle. 



Phcdacrocorax carlo. — Eesident, nesting sparingly on our 

 coasts. " On the south side Loch Portry," says Martin, 

 " there is a large Cave, in which many Sea Cormorants 

 do build : the ISTatives carry a bundle of Straw to the door 

 of the Cave in the Night-time, and then setting it on fire, 

 the Fowls fly with all speed to the Light, and so are caught 

 in Baskets laid for that purpose." 



Phalacrocorax graculus. — Eesident, nesting about Lower- 

 gill and at the Ascribs. Immature Shags haunt our rocks 

 all the year round. " A Cormorant," says Martin, " which 

 has any white Feathers or Down, makes good Broth." 



Sida lassana. — Summer visitant, stragglers appearing on 

 Loch Dunvegan at the beginning of April, and knocking 

 about the Minch the summer long. A bird of the year at 



^ In 1886 two pairs of Merlins nested with us ; one nest contained a plucked 

 Chaffinch. Another pair tried to breed in Ulinish, but were trapped. 

 VOL. IX. I 



