68 Mr John MacGillivray on the Island of St Kilda. 
dity of its flight, as its habit of congregating in dense masses 
when sitting upon the rocks. As many as a dozen may often 
be secured at a single shot, and I have more than once seen a 
small shelf about the size of a table, which was swept bare at 
a single discharge, the birds falling into the sea below. The 
smoke had scarcely cleared away, when the scene of slaughter 
was as thickly crowded as ever, and many more might have 
been easily procured. The food of the puffin during my visit 
I believe to have been chiefly the fry of the coal-fish, Gadus 
carbonarius, from having repeatedly shot the birds flying to 
their nests with this fish in their bills, and I thus found that 
both males and females supply the young with food. The 
puffin forms the chief article of food with the St Kildians 
during the summer months, and is usually cooked by roasting 
among the ashes. 
Uria Troile, the Common Guillemot (Lamhi, or Lavy) is very 
abundant. U. Grylle, the Black Guillemot (Gearra-breac), less 
so. The latter is a solitary bird, breeding in holes and clefts 
among the rocks, while the common guillemot nestles on ex- 
posed shelves, usually close to the water’s edge. 
Alca Torda, the Common Auk (4n Falc), is nearly as plen- 
tiful as the guillemot, generally breeding, like that species, 
upon exposed shelves, but sometimes in fissures, from which I 
have dragged both the old and young birds. The ery of the 
latter, when seized, is a loud plaintive squeak, ending in a 
hiss. 
The Great Auk, 4lca impennis, was declared by several 
of the inhabitants to be of not unfrequent occurrence about 
St Kilda, where, however, it has not been known to breed for 
many years back. Three or four specimens only have been 
ever procured during the memory of the oldest inhabitant. 
No doubt a considerable variety of fish might be found about 
St Kilda; in fact there is abundance of excellent cod, ling, 
tusk, and skate about the entrance of the bay, all of which 
might be taken by lines fastened to the shore, on account of 
the depth of water immediately under the rocks; but, either 
from indolence or the want of proper materials, the inhabi- 
tants pay little attention to this important pursuit. 
Of the entomology of St Kilda I can give but a very meagre 
