9568 Birds. 



the present occasion, it only remained for a short lime, but none like 

 it have been seen during the interval. 



Rock Dove. — Rock doves are slill in very large flocks, but couples 

 are frequenlly observed, especially near the caves. Couples are also 

 constantly to be seen arriving among and departing Irom the main 

 body. At almost all seasons I have seen them in what T supposed to 

 be pairs, a supposition which dissection has invariably proved to be 

 correct, so far as may be judged from the fact that they were of 

 opposite sexes. Unfortunately, I have in many instances omitted to 

 notice their age ; therefore it is quite possible that some of the sup- 

 posed pairs were merely couples of young birds from the same nest. 



Scaup Duck. — Scaups are never abundant in this neighbourhood, 

 but this winter they are unusually scarce, although two or three are 

 always upon the voe. I have never seen them here in flocks, even in 

 the most favourable seasons. They prefer the sea to the lochs, and 

 approach the shore mostly at high water, the chief attraction being the 

 mouths of burns, but for wJiat reason it is difficult to say, for in the 

 stomachs of those killed in such places I have never found any article 

 of food which could not have been readily procured in salt water. 

 Their curious habit of stretching- forward the head, and at the same 

 time opening the bill, has often been remarked ; but here at least, 

 although it is most frequently exhibited in spring, it is certainly not 

 peculiar to that season alone. The scaup is an excellent diver, and 

 when near the shore (the only situation in which 1 have timed its 

 movements) it continues submerged for about twenty-four seconds. 

 Although it is decidedly less shy than most other ducks, it is gene- 

 rally suflSciently upon the alert to be able to escape the shot by diving 

 to the flash. In the stomach of an adult male which was killed on the 

 28th of February, I found sand, shells, and the remains of crabs. 



Cornivra)it. — I first observed cormorants in spring plumage about 

 the end of February, by which time the few scattered white marks upon 

 each thigh had given place to a distinct white patch. 



Herring Gull and Lesser Blackbacked Gull. — About the end of. 

 September the head of the herring gull becomes spotted with dark 

 gray. On the 27th of February 1 first shot specimens having the head 

 quite free from those spots, although but a few days previously not 

 one whiteheaded bird could be obtained. Precisely similar changes 

 occur in the tame lesser blackbacked gull at Halligarth. In it the 

 last dark spot disappeai-ed on the 25th. 



Guillemot. — Guillemots are returning to Burrafirlh in considerable 

 numbers ; but they are never seen upon the rocks until much later. 



