598 THE FEATHEllEU TIUBES. 



about ninety miles distant from the coast of Ireland on tlic one hand, and St. Kilda 

 on the other, and one of a group of islets named the South Isles of Barray. 



'<In the summer of 1818, I accompanied Mr. Macncil of Petersaj', and Mr. Nicol- 

 son of Barray, to these islands. Soon after landing we betook ourselves to a hut which 

 had been cleared for our reception, and regaled ourselves with roasted mutton, wild 

 fowl's eggs, and whisky. As our boat was rather large and heavy, it was substituted by 

 a smaller one, belonging to the people of the island. Rowing round its eastern ex- 

 tremity, we came upon some high cliffs, covered with guillemots, of \\hich about forty 

 were killed, together with a few gulls. Passing round the island, ^^'c returned to our 

 lodging, and in the evening I accompanied Mv. Nicolson to the summit of a ridge, on 

 which were the remains of a rude fort, and where we had a fine view of the islands. 

 Patches of white vapour floated on the surface of the ocean, and the summits of the 

 cliffs were enveloped in mist. The weather had been so sultrjr for many weeks, that 

 where the soil lay thin on the rocks, the herbage was scorched, the brooks and even the 

 fountains were dried up, and, in this usually cold and wet climate, wo experienced many 

 of the disagreeable effects of a warmer region without any of its advantages. But the 

 islanders cheered themselves with the hope of a speedy fall of rain, the sea taving 

 been unusually disturbed, although the \veather had been calm, and tliis phenomenon, 

 they said, invariably indicated a change. 



" The island of Berneray is of an elliptical form, about a mile in length, and upwards 

 of half a mile in In-cadth. It presents the appearance of a mass of rock considerably 

 inclined, the northern side dipping into the water, and the southern exhibiting an abrupt 

 section rising to the height of several hundred feet. On a kind of peninsula, jutting out 

 from the face of this precipice, is a rude fort, in the form of a double wall, laid across the . 

 isthmus, and roofed with long slabs. "\'iewcd from the sea, the rocks present an imposing 

 spectacle, exhibiting masses of inclined, perpendicular, and projecting cliffs, smooth, 

 largely cleft, or minutely fissured. The whole fiice of the precipice, to the extent of half 

 a mile, was covered with birds Avhicli had assembled there for the purpose of breeding. 

 Only four species were seen by me : the Guillemot, the Auk, the Puffin, and the Kitte- 

 wake. These birds inhabit the cliffs, not promiscuously, but with a degree of regularity 

 and distinctiveness which seems not a little wonderful. On the grassy summits breed 

 the puffins, burrowing in the turf. From thence to half-way down is the space selected 

 by the auks, while in the remaining division are stationed the guillemots and kittcwakes, 

 the latter coming almost to high-water mark." 



The flight of this bird is similar to that of the guillemot ; it is performed by rapid 

 strokes of the pinions, and at a low elevation, except when endeavouring to attain the 

 ledge of the rock on which it breeds. It is worthy of observation, that in order to reach 

 the top of the clift's all the short- winged di\ing bii'ds malce a long sweep, and gradually 

 rise, as if incapable of a perpendicular ascent or an upward flight, even at a moderate 

 angle. It is curious to see the rows of these birds thickly covering the shelves and ledges 

 appropriated to incubation, their black and white wings presenting a singular contrast 

 to the gray or dusky rock on wliich tliey assemble. 



THE LITTI.E Al'IC* 



This l)ird is between eight and nine inclics in length ; the bill is l)lack, and llic U^gs 

 inclining to brown ; the plumage is black and white, and in winter the front of the neck, 

 which is black in summer, boconics whiti.sh ; the change takes place in autumn. 



The Little Auk braves the inclemency of very high latitudes, and congregates, in 



' I ria .\lk'. -'J'cmm. 



