NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 187 



Once landed on Haskeir on the narrow lower level between the 

 E. and W. "lumps,'' one can traverse the whole island on foot, with 

 scarcely any climbing at all, except of course on the sea-cliffs, and 

 on a few detached rocks at the eastern extremity which are at 

 times frequented by the Seals at low water, some of which animals, 

 it will be remembered, we saw plunge into the surf two days 

 before. 



The higher cliffs of Haskeir are on the N.W. side facing the 

 Atlantic. Two ranges of high cliffs — about 80 to 100 feet — face 

 the west, and run nearly across the island; but the summits of these 

 are accessible towards their eastern extremities. At their base are 

 deep gullies or goes, in one case terminating in a large Cormorant 

 cave, and in the other running right through the island, but 

 bridged over by a natural arch of rock by which one can easily 

 cross and ascend to the summit of the cliff. From seaward 

 two openings through the rock are visible, one being the tunnel 

 above mentioned, the other a small hole caused by the falling 

 in of a mass of loose rock.* About the centre of the island, 

 which is the lowest part — 30 to 40 feet elevation — the rock on the 

 N.W. side slopes steeply, evenly, and smoothly seawards, and up 

 this long incline the great waves rush headlong nearly to the 

 summit, making the rock slimy with green seaw T eed, and most 

 treacherous footing, as I nearly found to my cost. The S.E. side 

 of this central portion is steeper but more broken, and on many 

 parts a landing might be effected during westerly winds. The tops 

 of the higher portions — E. and W. — are clothed with dense hum- 

 mocks of sea-pink, sea-campion, and other rock-plants, forming 

 admirable ground for the innumerable Puffins which burrow in 

 every conceivable direction beneath. The sea-pink is particularly 

 luxuriant, covering often patches of half an acre or even an acre in 

 extent. Amongst these hummocks also, as well as on the barer 

 and more rocky portions, Eider Ducks breed in numbers. From 

 under a bunch of a dark-green rock-plant — the name of which I 

 do not know — a Rock Pipit fluttered off its nest, which contained 

 four eggs, and an Oyster-catcher ran off her nest, which had two 

 eggs. This nest was quite 80 to 100 feet above the sea, and is the 

 highest I remember having seen. One pair of Wheatears was 

 observed a little above this. At the west end and above the Seals' 



* This is not shewn in my drawing, being out of view when the sketch 

 was taken. 



VOL. V. N 



