ST. KILDA 123 



Borrera, Martin informs us, fed 400 sheep in his time, 

 " and would Feed more, did not the Solan Geese pluck a 

 large share of the Grass for their nests "...." There 

 are about Forty Stone Pyramids in this Isle, for drying 

 and preserving their Fowls, etc. These little Houses are 

 all of loose Stones, and seen at some distance ; there is also 

 here a very surprising number of Fowls, the Grass as well 

 as the Rocks filled with them. The Solan Geese possess 

 it for the most part ; they are always Masters wherever 

 they come, and have already banished several Species of 

 Fowls from this Isle."* 



Of Stack an Armine, which abbreviating the preposition 

 he spells " Stack-Narmin," Martin says : " this Rock is 



Half a Mile in circumference This Rock abounds 



with Solan Geese and other Fowls ; here are several 

 Stone Pyramids, as well for Lodging the Inhabitants that 

 attend the Seasons of the Solan Geese, as for those that 

 preserve and dry them and other Fowls, etc.""^ He then 

 describes his visit to Armine and his safe return from 

 the Rock with 800 of the preceding year's dried Gannets, 

 which after being cast together in a heap, were shared out 

 to the men, each Gannet having a distinguishing mark 

 on its foot, peculiar to the owner, 



" The Solan Geese," says Martin, " Hatch + by turns ; 

 * i^p. 42, 43. t P- 44. J p. oO. 



