1 98 Ornithological Visit to Shetland arid Orkney. 



A little to the south of this head is a huge isolated frag- 

 ment of rock, apparently severed from the island by some 

 powerful convulsion of nature, presenting a frightful chasm, 

 from 300 to 400 ft. in depth, and from 90 to 100 ft. across it. 

 This rock is about four yards in diameter, and is regularly 

 occupied in the breeding season by the black-backed gull 

 (Zyurus marinus), herrier gull (Z/arus fuscus), and lesser 

 black-backed gull (Zarus argentatus), which from their quan- 

 tities, almost cover the ground with their nests. To obtain 

 the young of these birds, which are held in rather high esti- 

 mation for the table, and are called scories, two ropes are 

 stretched across the chasm, and strongly secured to a post 

 placed on the rock for that purpose ; a sort of square box is 

 then procured, 3 ft. long and 2 ft. broad, termed a cradle, hav- 

 ing an upright piece of wood about 4 in. square at each of its 

 corners, projecting a few inches beyond the box, with holes suf- 

 ficiently large to admit the ends of the ropes, which are passed 

 through them, and fastened very firmly to the island. The 

 bottom of this cradle is made by coarse rope lacing, to render 

 the seat easy for any person passing over; and, thus sus- 

 pended, the natives pass and repass very readily, without any 

 fear of danger. This cradle was erected by a rockman from 

 Foula who first scaled the eastern crag ; a most laborious and 

 hazardous undertaking. A considerable number of spectators 

 attended from Lerwick to see this feat achieved, which the 

 daring adventurer performed with apparent ease, to the great 

 astonishment of those vs^ho were observing him from below in 

 boats, and who expected every moment to see him fall head- 

 long from one of the many jutting prominences that he was 

 forced to ascend. He, however, reached the top, and, waving 

 his hat to assure the multitude of his safety, was answered by 

 the loud shouts of the delighted assembly. By the means of 

 a small cord, which he had carried with him for the purpose, 

 the post and implements necessary for sinking it in the rock 

 were hauled up ; as also the ends of the two ropes which 

 were to support the cradle. In a short time all were securely 

 fastened, and the cradle properly suspended ; but the rock- 

 man, intoxicated with the reverberating shouts of those who 

 saw him, and proud of his prowess as a climber, spurned the 

 idea of passing over the chasm by his own machine, and 

 chose rather to descend by the crags. He had, however, 

 scarcely advanced 50 ft. from the top, when, missing his step, 

 or being too careless, his foot slipped, and he fell headlong 

 into the roaring surge that was lashing the base of the pre- 

 cipice. 



The nest of the black-backed herrier and lesser black- 



