32 Capt. Elwes on the Bird- Stations 



arrival of strangers, that it was impossible to get them to say 

 more about it ; and though Mr. Mackay promised to take down 

 any stories or information about the bird that he could collect, 

 when they had leisure to think about it, he has not as yet sent 

 me any. I do not think, however, that more than two or three 

 examples are at all likely to have been seen in the last forty 

 years, as Mr. Atkinson, of Newcastle, who went there in 1831, 

 does not say a word about it in his paper*, beyond mentioning 

 the name, and neither John Macgillivray, who visited the place 

 in 1840, nor Sir W. Milner, says that any specimens had been 

 recently procured. I believe that Bullock was also there about 

 1818; and as he had not long before met with the species in 

 Orkney, there is little doubt he would have mentioned it to 

 somebody if he had heard of any having been recently procured 

 at St. Kilda. 



I made every inquiry about this bird on the north and west 

 coasts of Lewis, and showed pictures of it to the fishermen ; but 

 all agreed that nothing of the sort had ever been seen since they 

 could remember. Indeed the only specimen of which we know 

 for certain that has been seen in the present century is the one 

 that Dr. Fleming had in 18.21, which was captured alive by Mr. 

 Maclellau, of Scalpa, somewhere off St. Kilda. 



The first thing which strikes one on entering the houses here 

 is the strong smell of Fulmar which pervades everything ; though 

 much of the filth which formerly filled them is now cleared out, 

 yet they are by no means pleasant to one who is not accustomed 

 to the smell. 



Soon after landing, I started off with some of the best crags- 

 men to the cliffs at the north side of the island, which form the 

 principal breeding-places of the Fulmar. On reaching the top 

 of Conachan, which is the highest hill in the island, we came 

 quite suddenly on a precipice which, according to the measure- 

 ment of Capt. Otter, is no less than 1220 feet high. The whole 

 of this immense face of rock was so crowded with birds, of which 

 Fulmars and Puffins made up the greater number, that the sea 

 was seen far below as if through a heavy snow-storm ; indeed 

 the birds which were flying in front of the cliff almost obscured 

 the view for a little distance. All the ledges near the top were 

 * Trans. Nat. Hist. Soc. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1832. 



