NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF ST. KILDA 79 



many, as they wish to get as many young birds as possible. 

 For the same reason also very few of the eggs are taken. 

 There is not very much danger in taking them, as the places 

 which they frequent are comparatively easy of access. Lives 

 are occasionally lost in hunting the Fulmar, as one may 

 accidentally slip, but when it does happen it is generally 

 from trying to rob some of the few places where a rope 

 ought to have been used. About the beginning of August 

 the young Fulmars are about fully fledged and ready for 

 killing. During the preceding week an unusual excitement 

 and alertness pervades the village. Every possible prepara- 

 tion is being made. The women bring the cattle home 

 from the sheilings, grind sufficient meal to last the killing 

 time, while the men test the ropes, make good deficiencies, 

 and provide barrels and salt. Other fowling is really hardly 

 anything more than amusement, and may almost be prose- 

 cuted or not as you like, but for ten days at this time it is 

 quite different. I have often said in these notes that the 

 men were to-day doing so and so, when all I meant was that 

 they did something at that but nothing else, but now the 

 whole village is astir and hard at work. A large and valued 

 portion of the winter's food must now be provided or you 

 have to do without it. The breeding-places have all been care- 

 fully examined some time before, and an estimate made of 

 the young birds which they respectively contain. They are 

 now divided into as many portions as there are groups of 

 four or five men who are to work together. These portions 

 are now assigned by lot to each group, and all is ready. 

 When the day considered most suitable comes all move off 

 to the rocks, and the men either climb down to the breeding- 

 places or get lowered by rope if necessary. The birds must 

 all be caught by hand, and skilfully too, or much of the 

 valuable oil will be lost. They must be caught suddenly and 

 in such a way as to prevent their being able to draw their 

 wings forward or they will squirt the oil. It cannot do this 

 easily while you hold the lower joints of its wings back 

 against each other. Caught in the right way its neck is 

 speedily twisted and broken and the head passed under the 

 girdle. When the man has got strung about him as many 

 as he can conveniently carry, they are passed up to the 



