Mr John MacGillivray on the Island of St Kilda. 58 
of the Outer Hebrides, where it is of frequent occurrence. 
The pretty Sedum anglicum occurs in a few places growing 
upon dry banks and among moss-covered stones, which it 
adorns with its tiny blossoms of the most delicate pink. The 
only alpine species which I observed are Carex rigida, and Salix 
herbacea, both of which I found on the summit of one of the 
hills. The occurrence of the latter at so low an elevation is 
interesting, as shewing the influence of the sea-coast upon 
Alpine vegetation, for I had never before gathered the dwarf 
willow at a less elevation than about 3000 feet. Upwards of 
50 species in all of phenogamous plants were gathered by me 
in St Kilda, chiefly during a short excursion with Mr M‘Ken- 
zie, the worthy minister of the island ; but the more common 
and less interesting of these I have omitted mentioning. Be- 
sides these, a few cryptogamic plants may be noticed. Various 
lichens, and among them Ramalina scopulorum, are abundant 
on the more maritime rocks, where the species just mentioned 
attains the length of nearly a foot in many places. Chondrus 
crispus is plentiful at the landing-place, and might be collect- 
ed in large quantity, but its use seems unknown to the natives. 
There is also abundance of Rhodomenia palmata and Laminaria 
digitata in the bay, both of which are occasionally used as 
food. 
The crops of the St Kildians are said to be both better and 
earlier than elsewhere upon the west coast. Be this as it may, 
during my visit, the fields of barley and oats were much far- 
ther advanced than any of those I had just left in the Long 
Island. It is curious, that throughout the greater part of the 
Outer Hebrides the small dark barley termed d/ack oats alone 
seems to thrive. 
The inhabitants of St Kilda are about 120 in number, di- 
vided into 23 families. The population, after gradually de- 
creasing for about a century, became almost stationary, but is 
now slowly increasing. This mortality arose not from any 
deficiency of births, but from the prevalence among new-born 
infants of a convulsive disease, called galar na cuigeadh oidhche, 
disease of the fifth night, from its usually appearing about that 
time after birth. Owing, however, tothe improved condition of 
the natives, as regards cleanliness of the person and of theit 
