482 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Guillemots had practically all left, though a few Black Guille- 

 mots were round one particular spot where they always breed. 



About the 12th of the month very large flocks of Gulls were 

 hovering over the sea, most probably after Mackerel-fry or Sand- 

 eels. The fishermen here call these flocks " Gribbers," and 

 are delighted to see them, as they generally denote the coming 

 of Herrings ; they know by the different way in which they fly 

 whether they are after Herring- fry, the flock being then more 

 scattered. 



On some islands off the coast I found Stormy Petrels breeding 

 in fair numbers ; they were difficult to approach, being on , a 

 grassy slope at the top of a precipice. It is easy to find the 

 holes they are in by the smell, which is very strong. The 

 young were hatched about the beginning of the month, and 

 looked like fluffy balls of down, their eyes not being open ; they 

 grow very slowly, but I cannot say the date at which they leave 

 the nest. The old birds never attempted to fly away when taken 

 off the nest, but uttered a little squeak, and ran straight back 

 down the burrow. The slope I found them on faced due east. 

 They are called "oil birds" by the natives, as most probably 

 they are in other places. On the same island a few Great Black- 

 backed Gulls breed, but for some reason they do not do so on 

 the mainland. 



A certain number of Choughs are always to be found ; their 

 numbers seem to vary very little year by year. In one or two 

 places round the cliffs a pair always build, generally in a hole in 

 an overhanging cliff at about fifty feet or so from the sea. There 

 is one typical hole they build in, and from all accounts they have 

 done so for years ; it is almost impossible to get at, which is just 

 as well, though the eggs are not often taken, except in one place, 

 where the nest is occasionally robbed. As I said, they do not 

 seem either to much increase or decrease. Why, I do not know. 

 It cannot be because there are not enough suitable places for 

 them to breed in, for the cliffs are at least six miles round, and 

 vary in height up to six hundred feet. Some people seem to 

 think it is on account of the great numbers of Jackdaws, which, 

 they say, drive the Choughs away ; but I do not think that 

 accounts for it here. I have never seen more than four together, 

 and when I saw those they were more inland among the moun- 



