THE ISLAND OF lOULA, 
247 
pursued from the territory they inhabit. On approach- 
ing the nest, an attack instantly commences ; male and 
female in rapid succession descend from a considerable 
height, with a velocity and noise truly startling ; horses, 
cattle, and sheep, are immediately put to flight, and receive 
no intermission of attack till well driven from the nest ; 
and if man, bent on sinister purposes, continues to brave 
the bonxie's fury, he will seldom accomplish his aim with- 
out carrying away marks of war. The nest is a mere con- 
cavity in the ground ; the number of eggs two ; the month 
of breeding July. The young bird is a nimble, gallant 
little animal, and almost as soon as hatched leaves the nest. 
On the approach of danger he secrets himself in holes, or 
behind stones, with great art ; and when captured, at last 
makes a shew of defence that is quite amusing. The num- 
ber of these birds that annually breed at Eoula probably 
does not exceed thirty pair. 
The Arctic Gull (Lestris parasiticus) deserves the next 
place in the description of the birds of Foula. This elegant 
bird, which I have observed in Orkney to breed in single 
pairs, or at most in two or three pairs in one place, seems to 
have selected Foula for its head-quarters, and here it is chief- 
ly congregated on the elevated platform under Combe HilL 
Solitary pairs may be found in other places ; but at the 
place above mentioned, the number of pairs breeding in 
1821 probably did not fall short of 100 ; and having esta- 
blished that as the seat of power, they are no less tenacious 
of this domain than the bonxie, from which they exclude 
all other birds. And the Skua, when it happens to stray 
into the adjoining territory, is pursued by such a host of 
nimble enemies, as often leave him no resource but to alight, 
when the tactic of the Arctic gull is lost ; his long wings, 
so advantageous to him on the wing, being quite the reverse 
