uf the Outer Hebrides. 33 



covei'ed with short turf full of holes, in which the Fulmars were 

 sitting on their eggs, with the head and part of the body exposed 

 outside. In some cases they were quite concealed ; but generally 

 the soil was too thin for them to make more than a slight ex- 

 cavation. Thousands of Fulmars were flying backwards and 

 forwards, with a soft owl-like flight ; and though the air was full 

 of them, hardly one ever came over the top of the cliff". 



After having admired the scene for some time, I prepared to 

 descend — an undertaking which, though dangerous from the 

 looseness of the rock, was by no means so difficult as in some 

 places which I had previously attempted. The usual way in 

 which the ropes are managed is this : one is fastened under the 

 arms, and paid out by the man above as the climber descends ; 

 and another is held or fastened to a stake above, and thrown 

 over the cliff", so that the man who is descending can use it to 

 take his weight off" the other rope. In this way two men can 

 help each other so as to get almost anywhere. The natives, 

 from constant practice, have wonderful judgment in selecting 

 the easiest places ; and if tiiey were always careful, an accident 

 would be of rare occurrence : but the younger men are too fond 

 of casting off the rope and trusting to their own skill ; in this 

 way three lives have been lost in the last few years. It also 

 often happens that stones become dislodged and fall on the head 

 of the climber, who may be unable to avoid them ; and in this 

 way I had a very narrow escape while descending the cliff"s on 

 the south side of the island on another occasion. 



On arriving at the first ledge, where the Fulmars were, I 

 had no difficulty in collecting the eggs, which were laid in small 

 holes amongst the stones, or in the turf, on a few bits of 

 grass or stems of the sea-pink, which, however, were so slight 

 as hardly to keep the egg from the bare ground. The birds 

 were very tame, and sometimes allowed themselves to be caught 

 with the hand. The eggs were quite fresh ; and all that I took 

 on this part of the cliff were distinctly marked with reddish- 

 brown dots and freckles, which did not appear to have been 

 produced by any foreign substance, as the shell was otherwise 

 clean, I cannot account for these marks in any way, as all the 

 eggs from other places were spotless. 



N. S. VOL. V. D 



