GBEAT BLACK-BACKED GULL.
of falling. Though not the slightest damage I M inflicted, I felt doubtful for a mocnent as to what
might have been tlie result of the concussion had the dead body struck the Inflated cylinder of the
boat. The bird wounded with the first barrel was washing along a short distance to leeward aud was
soon picked up. Having now obtained both adults and young, a few miuulcs were spent iu a vain attempt to
arrange the cargo in a satisfactory manner before continuing my voyage. It was utterly impossible iu my
present position to kill the old bird, and the young, though quiet aud sulky for the moment, were somewhat
snappish. Being, moreover, uninjured as well as scarcely less powerful than their parents, I anticipated an
outbreak, and luckily pulled for a point of sand on the north shore. But half the distance bad been passed
over when, owing to the cross swell, the spray bloke freely over the gunwale and fell on the captives in just
sufficient quantities to rouse up the wounded bird, which instantly commenced a furious attack on whatever
it could lay hold of. The floor of an india-rubber boat is necessarily eoiilined, and the example of their parent
probably exciting the juveniles, a general mutiny broke out. The narrow seat afforded hut slight protection,
and, though luckily never adopting the true Highland costume, I suffered severely from the sharp beaks of the
v hole party, my Cramped position and the size of the craft rendering any effect mil resistance impossible *. At
last the shore was reached, and assistance at once procured, as the shots had been witnessed from the wagonette.
After being rebeved of my troublesome passengers, whom I despatched by road, far better progress was made,
and the landing-place in front of the iuu at Lairg was reached in three and a half hours after going alloat
fifteen miles up the loch—not such had travelling, considering ibe delay in searching the islands and securing
the Gulls; a favourable breeze, quite as much as was agreeable, had, however, contributed in no small degree to
the speed. The beaks of the young were of a dark horn tint, light at the points and flesh-coloured at the base
of the lower mandible ; inside of month pale flesh ; iris hazel; leg- and feel pah1 livid flesh."'
The nestlings while in the down are of a pale brown or sandy colour, with a few black marks on the back
of the head and neck, the remainder of the down being here and there speckled with grey. The general tint
is somewhat paler than the down on the young of the Lesser Black-back. The beak in the early stage is very
pale bom, light at the tip, flesh at the base ; iris hazel; legs and feet pale livid flesh. The beak rapidly alters,
changing to a darker horn as the birds grow older and the feathers are assumed. The eyes do not chango
during the first year. The young in the downy stage I examined in two or three nests on the Islands in Ivoch
Skounaskaig on Juno 13, 1S7S, one brood being secured as specimens. Numbers of adults are seen in
summer about this magnificent sheet of water, and several pairs breed on the smaller rocky islets and on the
wet aud boggy parts of the adjoining moors. The views from the summit of the larger island, near tho centre
of the loch, are perhaps unsurpassed in the Highlands. Au immense stretch of wild aud rugged moorland,
backed by many lofty mountains, whose strange glassy slopes and steep broken precipices meet the gaze in
almost every direction, form a panorama that can scarce fail to strike the beholder. A stone dyke has been
built on the top of Suilven, to prevent the sheep approaching a dangerous part of the bill, and this structure
in clear weather is faintly visible, otherwise there is not a sign of human intervention with the primitive
condition of the country over all the wide expanse.
There is little or no change in the plumage of this species during Hie second year. At the age of twelve
months the immature bird has but increased in bulk, the iris, beak, and legs being much the same as during
the first autumn. While in this stage, unless worn out by protracted gales, they seldom stray far inland, the
shores of the salt-water loebs and the sea-coast being their usual haunts. The rocky isbmds off tho Hebrides
and along the western mainland are at times densely covered by numbers of immature Gulls of various species.
In the interior of the Long Island the upper water* of So.iforth Loch, above the narrows, are frequently resorted
• Tin- sit* o! Hit OtBSt Klmk-hack is sharper THAN th.it AT NRO other sf our sea-fowl. On SSS occ-ision the i,hore-mii.lir si Ibis (SS official
wliu hus ilirn-f-e of the mq-.el-binks) kited hold of i 1-INL I had winged, ssl i deep cut on EACH lide of Ihe thumb ass iaflicU-d. onliwlr
GREAT BLACK-BACKKI) G I L L 5
to by many of the larger Gulls. Here 1 procured several specimens of tliis species in various stages during the
early part of May 1H77. Throughout this remote district flic whole of the sea-fon 1 appeared perfectly fearless,
affording excellent opportunities for selecting those stages of which 1 was in search without coinmilling
useless slaughter.
During my wanderings iu the Lews, I invariably found the inhabitants a most obliging race of people ;
from the highc-t to the lowest they appeared eager to assist a stranger by all means iu their power. One
native, however, was met with whose anxiety to please was carried to such au extent that even the most
exacting individual must have been thoroughly -all-lied by his eudi avours. While returning from Lieh Seaforth
Head one evening, accompanied by a couple of keepers, after obtaining a few specimens of both the Greater and
Leaser Black-backs iu Intermediate stages of plumage, we were overtaken on the road towards Hie Lodge by a
light carl employed to procure supplies from Stornaway. As three or four miles bad yet to lie passed over, 1
slopped the man and signified my intention of dm ing the remainder of the way. The birds were carefully
packed in the back of the cart, and the main part of the instructions to the driver having lieon given by the
keep tea in the native tongue, I did not discover till we were some distance on our way lliat my conqiauiun
po-sessed but an exceedingly slight know ledge of the Ktigli-h language. The last mile or so towards the Lodge
was a steep descent, the road living cut in some parts into the bare face of the hill-side. As tbe track was
narrow, precipitous rocks on Hie one side and a rough aud stony valley on the other, I considered Hurt the pace
at which we had been travelling might w it li advantage be reduced, aud tin- w ill ing beast kept iu baud down bill.
On attempting to communicate my ideas on the subject, a nod. a grunt, and a grin were the sole rc-ponse, the
reins were dropped on the animal's hack, and several well-intentioned cuts with the whip having been
administered, we dashed downhill at a pace which, though decidedly risky, promised, if all went well, to bring
us speedily to our journey's Bad. Once oil' on our wild career, it was useless to interfere, so I quicily a walked
the course of events w it It, I must confess, considerable doubt as to the result. Though hi- manner was peculiar,
the driver proved himself a more efficient Vl lnp than I had anticipated, and eventually pulled iqi in the yard of
the Lodge in a style that would have done credit to the jauntiest Hansom cabby in St. James's Street. He was
evidently highly pleased with his performance, and had just sufficient liuglish tu return profuse thanks for a
trifle with which I presented him. Being uncertain whether the man bad not suddenly taken leave of his
senses, so strangely had he laughed and conducted himself while dashing down the bill, I made inquiries
shortly after, and learned he had understood that I was desirous of increasing the speed, and had consequently
done his best to oblige, concluding by remarking that of all the parties he had ever driven, I was by far the
strangest to please, but he was in hopes the pace bad given satisfaction.
The first signs of the black feathers on the back of this species du nut, according to my own experience,
commence to show till the third year. Various changes are then gone through each succeeding season till
the sixth year, when the adult plumage is put on. After this is once assumed, the bird undergoes but the
periodical change into the winter dress, which simply consists iu the pure white uf the head and back part of
the neck exhibiting a few specks of grey ; the colouring of the beak also alters slightly.
In the various intermediate stages, 1 have obtained specimens on the coast of Norfolk and also on
the broads in the interior of the county; they are most commonly met with during winter in those
One particularly handsome specimen (figured) was shot off the island of Soya, a few miles south-west of
Lad 1 over, on June 10, 1877. By means of a quantity of fish-liver aud oil poured on the water about a mile
to windward of the island, clouds of Gulls and a score or so of Terns were in the course of a few minutes
attracted to the s]iol, hovering over ibe surface ami dipping dim n and securing tin1 floaiing partieli s of food.
The hungry birds, while circling round and contending over their prey, took little notice of the boat. Though
this plan was tried on several occasions along different parts of the coast, and hundreds if not thousands of