426 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



grinus), and Merlins. I am glad to be able to say that the owner 

 does not have them exterminated altogether. 



From Gairloch we had a long sail to Loch Inver, which we 

 reached on the 19th in a strong breeze of wind. As we passed 

 one of the islands at the mouth of the loch, half a dozen Wild 

 Geese flew close across the bows. I think they were Bernicla 

 leucopsis ; at least they were very like a stuffed specimen of this 

 species I had seen in the possession of Mr. Sheal, the taxidermist, 

 at Belfast. 



At Loch Broom, which was our next anchorage, I paid a visit 

 to the excise officer, who is somewhat of a naturalist. He showed 

 me some rather interesting birds — a young Sea-Eagle, shot near 

 Loch Broom ; a Shearwater, but of what species I am not 

 certain ; a Storm-Petrel and egg ; also eggs of Black- and Red- 

 throated Diver. He also showed me a Pine Marten, shot near 

 Ullapool, which I believe is another of our fast-disappearing 

 mammals. 



On the 25th we lay close to Piper Island, Loch Hourn. We 

 landed, and found a large number of Terns' nests, which were 

 rather different from those in the Sound of Mull, and, being on the 

 rocks, were made, or rather banked up, with stonecrop and sea- 

 weed. The eggs were very handsome, being yellowish with 

 large sepia blotches, but perhaps these were eggs of the Arctic 

 Tern. When walking round the shore we found an Oyster- 

 catcher's nest with three beautifully marked eggs ; it was placed 

 under heather, and made of grass. The usual place is a de- 

 pression in the shingle a little above high-water mark ; at least, 

 that is where I found one near Fort William some years ago. At 

 the mouth of this loch there is a fine cliff called Priest's Rock, 

 where, in 1900, I had the pleasure of seeing a pair of Peregrines 

 flying round and round, uttering their wild screams. This year 

 we sailed close under, and fired a gun, but saw no sign of them. 

 Perhaps they had been shot. 



Canna, which we reached the next day, is a most interesting 

 island, being one of the most fertile and prosperous on the west 

 coast. In the evening we landed for a climb to the high part of 

 the island, where the cliffs are sheer down for 700 ft. When we 

 reached the moor on the top of the hill, I noticed some birds 

 running about and whistling to each other. In a few seconds I 



