So ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



women who are waiting above. At once they are divided 

 into as many shares as there are men in the group, when 

 the womankind and children seize upon their shares and 

 begin to drain out the oil into receptacles, which are gener- 

 ally made of the blown-out and dryed stomachs of the 

 Gannet. This they do by the very simple means of holding 

 the bird bill downwards and gently pressing, when about a 

 gill of oil flows out by the bill. This oil is much valued, 

 some used by themselves for various purposes and the 

 surplus sold. When all are got home, plucking off the 

 feathers, disposing of the internal fat, and salting the carcases 

 for winter use, goes on till far in the night. Early the next 

 morning the same round begins, and so on from day to day 

 till all the accessible breeding-places are visited. All this 

 time there is nothing but birds, fat, and feathers everywhere. 

 Their clothes are literally soaked in oil, and everywhere 

 inside and outside their houses nothing but feathers ; often it 

 looks as if it were snowin. 



. 



(To be continued.} 



THE BIRDS OF THE FLANNAN ISLANDS; 

 OUTER HEBRIDES. 



By WM. EAGLE CLARKE. 

 ( Continued from p. 19.) 



MERGANSER (Mergus serrator). The only record relates to the 

 occurrence of a female on the 2oth of April, 1903. 



RING DOVE (Columba palumbus). On the ist of July 1904, one 

 was observed resting on the island at 3 P.M. ; the only record. 



TURTLE DOVE (Turtur furfur). In the first week of September 

 1900, one appeared on Eilean Mhor and after remaining a week 

 was shot on the i4th. Its wing, sent to me for identification, 

 was that of a bird of the year. 



LAND RAIL (Crex crex). This species has been detected as a 

 casual migrant visitor to the island on three occasions, namely, 

 on the 5th of June 1902; on the 8th of May 1904; and 

 lastly on the i5th of September 1904, during our visit. 



