62 Mr John MacGillivray on the Island of St Kilda. 
is procured of two kinds by different processes. The best is 
obtained from the old bird by surprising it at night upon the 
rock, and tightly closing the bill until the fowler has secured. 
the bird between his knees, with its head downwards. By 
opening the bill, the fulmar is allowed to disgorge about a 
table spoonful, or rather more, of oil, into the dried gullet and 
stomach of a solan goose, used as a reservoir for that purpose. 
These, when filled, are secured with a string, and hung on 
cords across the interior of the huts, until required for use. 
The oil thus procured and preserved, besides supplying their 
lamps, is used by the inhabitants as a medicine, being some- 
times of considerable efficacy in chronic rheumatism, and act- 
ing as a cathartic ; while, from its nauseous taste and smell, it 
would doubtless prove an effectual emetic also to any but a 
St Kildian, In the beginning of August, the natives descend 
the rocks for the young fulmars, which are then nearly fledged, 
and by boiling with water, in proper vessels, are made to fur- 
nish a large quantity of fat, which is skimmed off, and pre- 
served in casks in the solid form. The old fulmar is much 
esteemed as food by the St Kildians, principally on account of 
its subcutaneous covering of fat, a substance of which they 
are immoderately fond. One which I had the curiosity to 
taste unexpectedly proved tolerable enough, after the enve- 
lope in question had been removed. Perhaps the keenness of 
my appetite deceived me, as it was not blunted by the follow- 
ing bill of fare: fulmar, auk, guillemot, one of each, boiled ; 
two puffins, roasted; barley-cakes, ewe-cheese, and milk ; and 
by way of dessert, raw dulse and roasted limpets ad libitum. 
It is chiefly in pursuit of the fulmar that the St Kildian re- 
quires to endanger his life, by descending the tremendous pre- 
cipices, on the faces of which it breeds in almost incredible 
numbers. Their mode of procedure is as follows: —Two men 
go in company,'each furnished with several coils of rope,* about 
half an inch in diameter. The person whose turn it is to de- 
* Formerly, ropes of hair and strips of hide were exclusively employed 
for this purpose, as being less acted on by friction against projecting angles. 
They are now, however, superseded by those of hemp; less durable, to be 
sure, but more economical, as being procured ready made- 
