The Zoologist— May, 1873. 3519 



After tliis it continued at intervals to show itself, careering about 

 at a distance, as long as we were in that part of the Sound, the 

 head and a small part only of the body being visible on the 

 surface; but we did not again on that day see it so near nor so 

 well as at first. At one time F. and K. and G. B. saw a fin sticking 

 up at a little distance back from the head, but neither of us were 

 then observing. 



On our return the next day we were again becalmed on the 

 north side of the opening of Lochonrn, where it is about three 

 miles wide, the day warm and sunshiny as before. As we were 

 dragging slowly along in the afternoon the creature again appeared 

 over towards the south side, at a greater distance than we saw it 

 the first day. It now showed itself in three or four rather long 

 lines, as in the sketch No. 2, and looked considerably longer than 

 it did the day before : as nearly as we could compute, it looked at 

 least sixty feet in length. Soon it began careering about, showing 

 but a small part of itself, as on the day before, and appeared to be 

 going up Lochourn. Later in the afternoon, when we were still 

 becalmed in the mouth of Lochourn, and by using the oars had 

 nearly reached the island of Sandaig, it came rushing past us about 

 a hundred and fifty yards to the south, on its return from Lochourn. 

 It went with great rapidity, its black head only being visible through 

 the clear sea, followed by a long trail of agitated water. As it shot 

 along, the noise of its rush through the water could be distinctly 

 heard on board. There were no organs of motion to be seen, nor 

 was there any shower of spray as on the day before, but merely 

 such a commotion in the sea as its quick passage might be expected 

 to make. Its progress was equable and smooth, like that of a log 

 towed rapidly. For the rest of the day, as we worked our way home 

 northwards through the Sound of Sleat, it was occasionally within 

 sight of us until nightfall, rushing about at a distance, as before, 

 and showing only its head and a small part of its body on the 

 surface. It seemed on each day to keep about us, and as we were 

 always then rowing, we were inclined to think it might perhaps be 

 attracted by the measured sound of the oars. Its only exit in this 

 direction to the north was by the narrow Strait of Kylerhea, dividing 

 Skye from the mainland, and only a third of a mile wide, and we 

 left our boat, wondering whether this strange creature had gone 

 that way or turned back again to the south. 



