218 REV. II. A. MACPIIEUtiON ON THE MANX SHEARWATER. 
The lioles M'ero generally in company, live or six new and old 
within an area of twenty yards. Here, as on the Avest side of Eigg, 
I lonnd that in a few instances there Avas but one orifice for two 
hiUTOAVs, a single portal serving as tlie entrance for both nests, Avhich 
Avould run right and left respectivel 3 ^ Erom one such nest Ave 
took a brooding female, Avhich Ave released, but not before it had 
tasted the blood of Hugli Kate. Diving his arm again into the 
holloAv he produced an egg. Wishing to test the length of the 
burroAv, I folloAved his example, but as my fingers strayed round 
the shoulder of the nest (broadest at its extremity) they came in 
contact Avith a second egg resembling the first, and like it far 
adAmnced in incubation. Hugh Kate considered that I had 
produced it from my sleeve, and Avas practising on his credulity. 
He stated that the fact Avas ncAV to his extensive experience. Ko 
doubt the tAvo eggs AA'ere laid by different females. Possibly, the 
sitting female, Avhich Ave caught, had ousted an earlier occupant 
Avhen an egg Avas ncAvly laid, and had proceeded to incubate both 
eggs together. At all events, there they Avere lying on one and the 
same nest. 
Whilst Ave Averc examining another nest, from Avhich avo had 
taken a single egg, after throttling as Ave thought the brooding 
female, the latter suddenly returned to life, and after a fcAv 
convulsive gasps, the poor bird fluttered doAvn the slope for a fcAv 
yards ; then, gathering up her strength, she slipped doAvn a little 
further, and rising from the uneven ground, flcAV off to sea, being 
soon lost to vieAv. 
In another hole Ave found an old male in rare condition, 
a[)parently an old bachelor, at all events a note appears that ho 
“ had no hatching spot;” he bit Avith ferocity, and having left his 
mark, Avas tossed into the air and departed gaily to sea, display- 
ing his graceful flight to advantage as he curvetted over the Avaves. 
llefore the day Aims over, Ave secured a second young one in doAvn, 
apparently only about a day old. Evidently they Avere just begin- 
ning to hatch out. 
It Aims on the evening of July 1st that I Avalked OA'^er to the 
Avest side of the island to study the habits of the Sheanvater at 
nightfall. As I ascended the shelving ground Avhich gradually 
rises to the base of the cliffs, Avherein many Shearwaters nestle, in 
company with a shepherd, a delicate drapery of grey cloud Avas 
