28 Capt. Elwes on the Bird-Stations 



find a resting-place. The same birds are found here as in 

 Berneray, with the addition of the Stormy and Fork-tailed 

 Petrels {Procellaria pelagica and P. leachi), a few of which breed 

 in holes and cracks in the dry peat on the top of the cliffs. I 

 did not find any eggs, but have no doubt that they do breed, 

 as the natives distinguished the latter species by its forked tail, 

 calling it " Gobhlan-goidhe," which expresses that peculiarity 

 in Gaelic, and is used for the Swallow in some parts of the 

 Highlands. We found the names of birds here, as at St. Kilda, 

 very different from those used in other islands, and, on re- 

 turning to the village of Mingalay, took them down from an 

 old man, who had in his day been one of the best fowlers in 

 the island. The Razorbill is called " Dubheanach,^' the Guil- 

 lemot " Langaidh,^^ the old Kittiwake " Crahoileag/' and the 

 young one (which is a favorite dish) is called " Seaigire/^ the 

 Stormy Petrel is called "Amhlaig,^' and the Manx Shearwater 

 " Scraib." This bird was formerly very common, and the 

 young ones, which were called " Fachach,^' were so highly 

 esteemed that a barrel of them formed part of the rent paid by 

 each crofter in Mingalay to the Macneills of Barra. About a 

 hundred years ago, however, the Puffins, which before were not 

 numerous, began to increase very much, and drove the Shear- 

 waters from the holes which they occupied in the cliffs; and 

 now they have completely supplanted them, so that only a few 

 pairs of Shearwaters are left in the island of Pabbay, which is 

 next to Mingalay. The Shearwater seems to be on the decrease 

 in most of its other breeding-places, though I have never heard 

 any reason assigned for the circumstance. We found a few pairs 

 of Black Guillemots breeding in the low caves and rocks of Min- 

 galay and Berneray; but the eggs are difficult to get at. So far 

 as I have seen, they are always two in number, and are placed 

 in deep cracks and holes, but never in high cliffs, like those of 

 the allied species. 



To pay a visit to St. Kilda (or Hirta, as it is called by the 

 natives) was one of the principal objects of my tour this sum- 

 mer, as this extraordinary isle, which is more celebrated for its 

 birds than any other place in Great Britain, had not been visited 

 by any naturalist for twenty years, and, indeed, is as little 



