Spring Notes from various Scottish Islands.



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about three weeks before my visit. Tame as the Fulmars are, as a

rule, they probably resented this interference with their domestic

arrangements and the fumes of tobacco, which must have been very

necessary to anyone sharing a house with them. (I found the

remains of a cigar!) I detected a Petrel in the ruined walls but

was unable to get at it, but at this date it was probably the Fork¬

tailed Petrel.


When lying on the grass, with Fulmars swooping all round

and over me, I noticed one bird settle on an egg, between two slabs

of rock at the top of the cliff, in what seemed to me rather an

unusual site for a Fulmar’s nest. I watched her for some time, and

then went to look at the egg. She resented my intrusion, and only

rose when I could almost touch her with my stick. I then found

that she was sitting on a Herring Gull’s egg ! There was no doubt

about it, as the egg reeked of Fulmar. She returned to it as soon

as I walked away.


I saw a pair of Whimbrels on the high ground, but had not

time to search for a nest.


There were four colonies of Arctic Terns, and many Eider

Ducks nesting; and, in addition to the cliff-breeding birds, Wheat-

ears and Starlings (nesting in the walls), Hooded Grows, Rock-pipits,

and Oyster-catchers were seen. Amongst the Terns I noticed one

in the rarely observed plumage of the year-old bird, i.e., with the

white forehead and mottled crown of head.


Leaving' Rona, I again visited Stack, but though the sea was

very smooth, there was far more swell than at my last visit, and

landing was out of the question. However, I steamed close round

the skerry and took another careful survey of the number of Gannets,

and was quite satisfied with my former estimate of 5000. One or

two birds were still carrying seaweed to the island.


I took the temperature of the water at 5 p.m.—52° at 10

feet, and 51° at 60 feet ; and then steamed off towards the Pentland

Firth.


Immediately after leaving the island we came across a number

of Great Shearwaters and a few Fork-tailed Petrels. The yacht’s

engines were slowed down, and for two hours we were passing

amongst the Shearwaters. It was difficult to estimate their numbers,



