Zoology of the Outer Hebrides. 9 



The Red Deer, Cervus Elaphus, of the Outer Hebrides is 

 much smaller than individuals from the mainland of Scotland. 

 By being carefully preserved, the deer are still plentiful in 

 the forest of Harris and the interior of North Uist; in the 

 latter situation they betake themselves to the water on being 

 pursued, and easily find shelter among the numerous islets of 

 the lakes. 



Various Cetacea were occasionally seen during my nume- 

 rous boating excursions, both in the Minch and upon the west 

 coast ; but the only species, besides the Porpoise, Delphinus 

 Phoccena, that I could identify is the Grampus, D. Orca, con- 

 spicuous by its peculiar dorsal fin. On the beach at Pabbay 

 may be seen numerous gigantic bones, the remains of a drove 

 of eighty grampuses which were driven ashore by the islanders 

 about twenty-five years ago. 



Birds. 



The two species of Eagles, Aquila Chrysaetos and Haliaetus 

 albicilla, were occasionally observed, the latter by far the 

 most frequently. As the eyries are well known in their re- 

 spective neighbourhoods, and a reward offered for the destruc- 

 tion of both old and young, the number of these birds is 

 annually diminishing. The Sea Eagle, though usually build- 

 ing upon the maritime cliffs, in one instance was found breed- 

 ing on a small flat islet in one of the numerous lakes of North 

 Uist, and two eggs were procured from the locality in ques- 

 tion. When sitting on the grass upon the summit of Ben 

 Mhore in South Uist, a magnificent bird of this species 

 alighted on a neighbouring pinnacle, which I had previously 

 observed to be strewed with its down and feathers. I crawled 

 to within a few yards of the spot, and with a telescope lei- 

 surely examined the noble bird, as he stood erect and almost 

 motionless, occasionally casting quick glances all around ; on 

 being disturbed he quickly unfolded his broad wings, launched 

 into the mist below, and was soon lost to view. It being a 

 Sunday I had no gun with me, else I could easily have pro- 

 cured him, but the fine sight made ample amends for my dis- 

 appointment. The only breeding-place of the Golden Eagle 

 visited by me, was an isolated promontory stretching far into 

 the Atlantic, and forming the hill of Northtown. Before 

 reaching the spot I had unfortunately scared away the eagles 

 by firing at some cormorants upon the rocks, and had to 

 content myself with a distant view. An uncle of mine, who 

 for a long time resided in the neighbourhood, was in the ha- 

 bit of occasionally descending into their eyrie by means of a 

 rope, and in this way took many eggs and destroyed several 



