36 Capt. Elwes un the Outer Hebrides. 



I was anxious to get some of the Petrels, we took the ship^s boat 

 and landed on Dun with some of the natives. This island, 

 which forms the southern horn of the harbour, is the principal 

 preserve of the Puffins, whose burrows cover the whole island, 

 like a rabbit-warren. Immense numbers were sitting everywhere, 

 flying up as we approached, and settling again behind us. They 

 had only just begun laying; but I procured a few eggs, which, 

 though quite fresh, were covered with dirt. A few Eiders were 

 breeding here, though they are not numerous ; and the down is 

 never collected, as the young Gannets afipord an abundant supply. 



I expected to find the Petrels breeding near the top of the 

 cliff; but none were at present visible, and I think it must have 

 been too early in the year for eggs. There is no doubt, how- 

 ever, that the Fork-tailed Petrel does breed here, as 1 have seen 

 eggs from St, Kilda, and Sir W. Milner procured the birds, 

 though John Macgillivray, like myself, was disappointed in 

 finding them. After searching for some time, I looked over a 

 cliff and saw, far below me, a broad flat ledge on which hundreds 

 of Fulmars were sitting among the stones. I descended with a 

 rope we had brought from the ' Harpy,^ as none of those the 

 natives had were long enough. Two of the young men followed 

 me, coming down hand over hand at a tremendous pace. As 

 soon as the Fulmars were disturbed from their eggs, the Black- 

 backed Gulls came swooping down, and carried them off in their 

 beaks, much to the indignation of my companions, who hate 

 the " Farspach " (as they call Larus marinus) with a deadly 

 hatred, and practise all sorts of barbarities on them whenever 

 they catch them, as they are terrible robbers of eggs. The young 

 men seemed determined to have every Fulmar and every egg 

 they could get, as they enjoyed the opportunity of harrying the 

 rock, which belonged to some one else, and probably laid the 

 blame of it on me afterwards. 



All the cliffs here are divided among the inhabitants equally, 

 and the boundaries are as carefully observed as if they were 

 fields, so that no one can take eggs on the main island except 

 from his own rock. Boreray, Soay and the Stacks are con- 

 sidered common property, and are harried occasionally by a 

 party dispatched in the large boat for that purpose. 



