258 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



On 1 6th September I saw one at lo a.m., during heavy 

 rain and a strong south-east breeze. And on the follow- 

 ing day another was flying under the north cliff for 

 several hours, seeking shelter from the strong southerly 

 breeze. 



Peregrine, Falco peregrinus. — A pair of Peregrines 

 nest annually on one of the outer islands of the group. 

 During the early days of our visit we saw the old birds 

 accompanied by one of their offspring, a male, which 

 they tried their best to drive away from the islands, but 

 all their bullying failed. The old birds left about 14th 

 September, but the young male remained, and was a 

 scourge to all the small migratory birds resorting to 

 Eilean Mor. It used to dash many times a day over 

 the exposed plateau in search of prey, making sad havoc 

 in the ranks of the travellers. All our efforts to put an 

 end to its ravenings were futile, owing to the impetuosity 

 of its dash and the suddenness of its appearance. 



Merlin, Falco eesalon. — A pair appeared on the 

 morning of nth September. They only remained for 

 the day, during which the small migrants had a bad 

 time of it. We had a captive Fork-tailed Petrel, which 

 had been taken at the lantern the previous night. This 

 we released in order to observe its manner of flight, no 

 Merlins being in sight at the time ; no sooner, how- 

 ever, was the Petrel well on the wing, than one of the 

 Merlins appeared in hot pursuit, but the Petrel, we 

 believe, reached the sea in safety. 



Shag, Phalacrocorax graculus. — Very common all the 

 year round, and breeding in considerable numbers. We 

 saw old birds feeding young as big as themselves. 

 The importunities of these fledglings were of a very 

 persistent nature, and not at all appreciated by the 



