670 The Zoologist — April, 1867. 



although the porpoise is said to have ascended the Clyde as far as 

 Glasgow in old days. 



Edward R. Alston. 

 205, Bath Street, Glasgow, 

 March 6, 1867. 



Ornithology of the Firth of Cromarty. 

 By W. Vincent Legge, Esq., F.Z.S. 



During the snows of last month I spent three weeks at the very 

 remote and defunct little town of Cromarty, and occupied myself 

 during that time in shooting specimens of sea-fowl. I might mention 

 that the Firth, perhaps the most magnificent harbour in the kingdom, 

 is admirably suited as a resort for all manner of wild fowl. Entering 

 from the Moray Firth through a sort of natural gateway, formed by 

 two tremendous precipices, called locally " Sitters," from an old 

 Scotch legend, and which are exactly a mile apart, the Firth widens 

 out into a splendid harbour as far as Invergorden, seven miles from 

 the entrance, and then stretches in the form of a narrow loch, twelve 

 miles farther inland, as far as Dingwall. The deep water and rocky 

 entrance afford a likely haunt for divers and oceanic ducks; a mile or 

 two up on the right hand side is a large shallow bay (Nigg Bay), 

 uncovered at low water, resorted to by the largest flocks of Brent geese 

 I have ever seen. Six miles farther up on the opposite side is Udel 

 Bay, mentioned, I think, in one of Colquhoun's works, and where the 

 fat old mallard and his companion the widgeon revel on extensive 

 weedy flats ; farther up still there is splendid wild-fowl shooting all 

 the way to the head of the Firth. Talk, however, to a boatman in the 

 Firth about the wild fowl and, what does he say ? — a You may think, 

 sir, there's plenty o' ducks and geese here, but Lor' bless ye, sir, there 

 'aint one quarter what there used to be twenty year' ago. Them punt- 

 guns has frightened 'em all away, sir ! '' And what shall we say about 

 the punt-guns : say ! why — But we won't say what we ought ; only, he 

 who shall at some future day succeed in putting them down, if ever 

 such a thing does happen, will, I know, receive the hearty thanks of 

 every ornithologist and true sportsman. 



But as to the birds : those of the gull family T met with or shot 

 were— glaucous gull, Iceland gull, great blackbacked gull, lesser 

 blackbacked gull, herring gull, common gull, blackheaded gull, kitti- 

 wake. 



