MANX SHEARWATER. 443 



Foiila and Unst in the latter country, and in Orkney their 

 favourite residence is upon some rocks near Pappa Westra. 

 They build their nests in holes and fissures of the cliffs, in 

 situations similar to the Puffin." 



According to Messrs. Baikie and Heddle, "This is a 

 migratory species, ai-riving (in Orkney) in February and 

 March, and remaining until autumn. It is not very nume- 

 rous, and its breeding-spots are confined to Papa Westray, 

 Westray, and Waas." In Mr. Low's time, or about forty years 

 ago, it was more numerous, and in greater request. " This 

 bird," says he, " is the chief acquisition our rock -men get for 

 all the danger in climbing the most dreadful precipices ; for 

 this, one sitting on the brink of the rock, with a coil of rope 

 made of hair on his arm, will let his neighbour many fathoms 

 over the steepest rocks, such as would make others shudder 

 only to look at, and yet these people think no more of it than 

 an airing ; and though few years pass without some or other 

 of them perishing, yet that never deters the survivors. It is 

 really dreadful to see people let over a rock several hundred 

 fathoms height, with the deep below them, supported only by 

 the single arm of their comrades, who have nothing to rest 

 themselves against, but must depend on their strength for both 

 their preservation : sometimes, indeed, both slip together. 

 The Lyre comes to these rocks in February or March, 

 and some time after their arrival build in holes of the little 

 earth that is to be found in the interstices of the rocks. It 

 lays a single white egg, something like a hen's, but blunt at 

 each end. In August the young are fit for taking, and are 

 very much sought after as delicacies by those who love good 

 cheer. They are, indeed, very fat, but are nauseously rank 

 and fishy-tasted ; however, they sell pretty high, and are 

 lucrative to the captors. The country people salt them down 

 for winter provision, and boil them with cabbage; what 

 sort of a dish this makes I cannot say, but suppose not extra- 

 ordinary. They likewise take the old ones in March, but 

 these are poor, and not near so good as the young." 



The next place frequented by it is St. Kilda. Mr. 

 John MacGillivray's statement respecting it is as follows : — 

 " Puffinus anglorum, the Shearwater, or Manx Petrel, is not 



