THE IBIS. 



SIXTH SERIES. 



No. IX. JANUARY 1891. 



I. — A Visit to the Blasket Islands and the Skellig Rocks. 

 By William H. Turle. 



The Blasket Islands are the most westerly inhabited islands 

 in Europe. Inishvickillane is five miles further west than the 

 most westerly point of the mainland of Ireland, nearly three 

 degrees further west than St. Kilda, and nearly a degree 

 further west than the most westerly point of Spain. The 

 Skellig^Bocks are nearly, but not quite, so far west. These 

 islands partake of the same character as most of the coast of 

 the south- west^of Ireland. They are stupendous piles of 

 rock (for the most part trap and mica slate), which tumble 

 headlong down to the sea or run out in perpendicular pro- 

 montories. On the top of these cliffs there are often grassy 

 slopes and green valleys gay with the white flowers of the 

 bladder campion and the pink blossoms of the thrift. On 

 some of these islands there are sheep, on many of them great 

 numbers of rabbits ; but their chief interest lies in the 

 almost innumerable sea-fowl which breed on the grassy slopes 

 and on the precipitous cliff's. 



The Blaskets are a group of half a dozen islands and 

 numerous less important rocks. They lie about 150 miles 

 due west of Killarney. The Great Blasket is the largest of 



SER. VI. — VOL, III. B 



