LUXDY ISLAND. 



Ax early description of Lundy Island is furnished by a writer, 

 who contributed a ' Natural History of Biddeford or By-the Ford ' 

 to the Gentlenian^s Magazine of 1755. After treating briefly of 

 some local features, with the naive that " the Aurora Boreahs is 

 very common" in the parish, the historian informs ns that in 

 Bideford Bay "lies the island of Lundy, which is five miles long 

 and two broad, but so incompassed with rocks, that it is accessible 



only in one part The island is four leagues distant 



from the nearest land, but it abounds with fine springs of fresh 

 water. The soil in the southern part is good, but the northern 

 jart is rocky. There is, among others, one craggy pyramidical 

 rock, so remarkable for the number of rats harbouring about it, 

 that it is called Rat Island. The whole island abounds with 

 rabbits and wild-fowl" (Gentleman's Magazine, 1755. pp. 447-8). 



Polwhele, writing in 1797, quotes the statement of Wescote 

 that " The greatest profit that is to be made of Lundy Island is 

 by hogs, coneys, and sea-fowl. The last it seems were so prolific 

 that in breeding time you could scarcely walk in some places 

 without treading upon eggs" (History of Devon, vol. I. p. 109). 



The Island of Lundy has been visited by Mr. Howard 

 Saunders, Mr. J. E. Harting, and Mr. H. E. Eawson, but no 

 professed ornithologist appears to have systematically investigated 

 its bird-life, at least the Editor has failed to find any pubhshed 

 account of its bird-life other than that included in the excellent 

 History of Lundy Island supplied by Mr. J. R. Chanter to the 

 Transactions of the Devonshire Association (vol. 4. part 2), and 

 read before that body at Bideford, August 1871. 



Mr. Chanter describes Lundy Island as "A lofty table-headed 

 granite rock, rising to the height of 500 feet, surrounded by steep 



