262 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



seaweed standing at short intervals apart. Seven 

 fires are in full swing along the edge of the shore, 

 and one attendant at each feeds with fuel whilst as 

 many women as men are employed in loding carts 

 and transferring the seaweed to the scene of opera- 

 tions. At one time kelp-burning was a much more 

 prevalent custom in the Scottish islands than 

 it is now, the fall in production arising from the 

 depreciation of value. Still the process is in opera- 

 tion in many places, and provides work for nume- 

 rous people throughout the summer. In spring the 

 seaweed is gathered and spread above tide-marks 

 to dry, and in about six weeks it is generally dry 

 enough to burn readily without the aid of other 

 fuel. The fire is laid in the early morning and an 

 attendant keeps up a constant supply of ware and 

 periodically stirs about the mass in the kiln ; 

 before night the kelp or residue of the burning 

 has [been formed. One of the burners informed 

 me that a ready market is still obtainable for the 

 kelp, and he broke off for me a small piece of the 

 solid finished article. On leaving this centre of 

 kelp-burning we barely escape from the smoke- 

 cloud that follows us ere we see another kelp- 

 centre in full swing further on. 



The rocks are very low and grass-clad, skirting 

 a well cultivated region as far as the centre of the 

 bay, from which the ascent to the Black Craig 

 begins ; thereafter they assume a wilder aspect 

 and rise to a sufficient height to form an attractive 

 breeding-haunt for sea-birds. Keeping as near the 

 cliff-edge as possible under the strong wind that 

 was blowing, I kept my attention on the cliff- 

 tenants. Starlings were abundant and rock pipits 

 were still singing, but the real tenants did not 

 betray alarm till I was nearer their abodes. Then 

 the herring-gulls left their nests and began that 

 strange uproar that so delights whilst it deafens 

 the listener, whilst a white mass of birds fluttered 

 in front of the rocks and over the sea. Out dashed 

 a pair of rockdoves from near the cliff-head and 

 a number of shags left singly, whilst razorbills, 

 singly or in pairs, followed suit and flew down to 

 the sea or in rapid flight circled round, rising to 

 the cliff-head as if to inspect me and then dashing 

 on again. Small patches of steep, grassy slopes 

 were the favourite haunts of the gulls, and in such 

 regions the birds dotted the surface thickly ; the 

 razorbills were secure beneath overhanging ledges. 

 The herring gulls — no other species of gull was 

 here — preferred the spots where more or less soil 

 occurred, though occasionally they occupied little 

 recesses or ledges, and many of the sitting birds 

 were as vociferous as those on the wing. By halt- 

 ing immediately over the sitting birds I easily 

 dislodged them and saw the contents of their 

 nests, and I was greatly interested in watching 

 the readiness with which they seized an oppor- 

 tunity of returning to their eggs. 



At a sheer portion of the cliffs where the rocks 

 were rent in many places, a colony of puffins was 

 established, and these little birds, with their bright 

 coral-coloured bills and legs, afforded an elegant 

 display, as they passed to and fro between the sea 

 and the rocks. They showed a special liking for a 

 particular ledge on the rock-face, and on this small 

 piece of rock seven were resting at once. When 

 alighting on the rocks they stood upright with 

 their bodies clear of the ground, or only their tails 

 touching it. They keep their legs perpendicular 

 and walk easily enough, betraying no awkwardness, 

 as in the case of the guillemots. In spite of their 

 gregarious disposition the puffins sometimes 

 displayed hostility to their neighbours, for a bird 

 would often be refused landing room by those 

 already on the ledge, and be compelled to sheer off, 

 or would be driven off even after it had alighted. 

 They fly very rapidly, with a steady wing-beat, and 

 occasionally sail in flight as they approach land ; 

 in leaving the rocks they allow their bright coral- 

 like legs to fall out in line with the sides of their 

 tail. The curious manner in which the birds made 

 advances to one another was comical ; one would 

 lower its head and stretch out its neck towards 

 another, and the two would wriggle together, whilst 

 a third would endeavour to join in the game. In 

 walking they keep the body clear of the ground 

 and the tail parallel to it ; they sometimes rest on 

 the ledges in a cowering attitude, or stand beating 

 their wings sharply. On the whole they were 

 friendly disposed and seemed to take a lively 

 interest in their neighbours, straining their necks 

 to see those on a ledge below, or on one above, and 

 they were in almost constant motion one way or 

 another. 



The succession of cliffs abated not in splendour, 

 maintaining their sheer aspect, though they fell off 

 in height. The waves broke impetuously in foam 

 on the sloping green rocks below, and dashed high 

 in white spray, whilst a second white line formed 

 on the sea at some distance from the shore. In 

 addition to the birds already noted, I came 

 on a colony of guillemots occupying a narrow 

 cave-like recess amongst the rocks, and after 

 long search roused a single black guillemot. 

 I did not, however, find any trace of the pere- 

 grine falcon, though the rocks are suitable for 

 this bird. 



When bird-life began to fail, I left the rocks 

 and turned hillwards to renew my search for 

 the tantalising harriers. The hills were desolate 

 enough for what I sought, and rough enough too, 

 but the heather was short. I rambled for a long 

 time amongst these hills, attended by peeweep, 

 golden plover, redshank and dunlin ; but I 

 eventually reached the crofts above Stromness 

 without seeing the bird I sought. 

 (To be continued.) 



