Notes on Stela Sgeir and North Bona, loitli List of Birds. 53 



About 5 p.m. we sighted Sula Sgeir from aloft, a little on 

 the weather bow, and shortly after Rona appeared further 

 to windward. About 7 p.m. we were close to Sula Sgeir, 

 so I ordered the boat to be lowered, at the same time telling 

 MacLeod that we did not want him ashore. He smiled 

 rather grimly without answering, but just as we shoved off 

 he suddenly fell into the boat with a mighty crash, very 

 nearly capsizing her. Evidently he had not the slightest 

 intention of letting me loose among the gannets by myself. 

 He seemed to look upon them as his own private property. 



The landing-place we made for is on the east or south-east 

 side of the island. I believe there is another and a better 

 one on the north-west side, but there was a very heavy 

 swell rolling in from that quarter. 



The landing had to be effected on a very steep rock by 

 watching for an opportunity, and then making a wild leap at 

 the shore before the boat fell for the next sea. 



As soon as we were safe ashore, MacLeod made straight for 

 the south-western end of the island where the gannets were, 

 and he stuck to me like a leech the whole of the time I 

 was anywhere near this enormous gannet nursery. 



The nests were placed chiefly on the level top of the 

 island and not on the cliffs, and covered the whole of the 

 western portion, being placed so close together that it was 

 difficult to avoid stepping on the eggs. The greater number 

 of the birds got up from their nests when I got within about 

 three feet of them, but a good many remained sitting and bit 

 at my trousers as I passed. 



MacLeod had a very strong objection to my touching the 

 gannets' eggs, because, as I afterwards found out from him, a 

 boat comes out from Ness every autumn about the beginning 

 of September, to take back a cargo of the young birds, which 

 are salted down for winter food. 



I was surprised to observe at this late date that only about 

 10 per cent, of the gannets' eggs were hatched, and I even 

 took fresh ones, although most of the guillemots were hatch- 

 ing, and at the Bass most of the gannets are sitting by the 

 end of April. On leaving the gannetry I went down a nasty 

 cliff on the north side to get some guillemots' eggs, in spite of 



