THE HIGHLANDS. ^ 



miles, called Mar Foreft, which is referved entirely 

 for deer and game* of which there is the greatcft 

 plenty and variety* 



Water-fowl, particularly folan geefe, abound in 

 fuch immenfe quantities, that it is difficult to give 

 credit to the accounts which have been given of 

 them, by modern, as well as antient writers, who 

 have vifited the Hebrides. * 



The 



* They are thus described by the ftev. Mr. Macaulay, who was 

 appointed milfionary, by the general aflembly of the church of 

 Scotland, to the ifland of St. Kilda, a rock of three miles in length, 

 furrounded by fundry lelTer ones, and fituated 18 leagues due weft 

 of the Long Ifland. 



" Thefe rocks are in fummer totally covered with folan geefc 

 and other fowls, and appear at a diitance like fo many mountains 

 covered with fnow. The nefts of the Iblan geefe, not to mention 

 thofe of other fowls, are fo clofe, that, when one walks between 

 them, the hatching fowls on either fide can always take hold of one's 

 cloaths, and they will often lit until they are attacked, rather than 

 expofe their eggs to the danger of being deltroyed by the fea-gulls ; 

 at the fame time an equal number fly about, and furnifli food for 

 their mates that are employed in hatching : and there are, befules, 

 large flocks of barren fowls of the different tribes that frequent the 

 rocks of St. Kilda. 



" The folan geefe equal almoft the tame ones in fize. The 

 common amuiement of the herring-timers Ihew the great ftrength 

 of this fowl. The fifhers fix a herring upon a board which has a 

 fmall weight under it, to fink it a little below the furface of the fea : 

 the folan goofe, obferving thefifh, darts down upon it perpendicu- 

 larly, and with fo much force, that he runs his bill irrecoverably 

 through the board, and is taken up directly by the fifliers. 



" The folan geefe repair to St. Kilda in the month i.f March, 

 and continue there till after the beginning of November. Before 

 the middle of that month, they, and all the other lea- fowls that are 

 fond of this coaft, retire much about the fame time into fome other 

 favourite regions ; fo that not a (ingle fowl belonging to their ele- 

 ment is to be feen about St. Kilda, from the beginning of winter 

 down to the middle of February. Before the young folan geefe fly 

 off, they are larger than their mothers, and the fat on their brenfls 

 is Ibmetimcs three inches deep. Into what quarter of the world 

 thefe tribes of wild fowl repair, after winter lets in, whether into 

 the northern ocean, the native country and winter quarters ot her- 

 rings, in general, or into lome other region near the lun, or whe- 

 ther they be of the llecping kind, they who pry into the myfteries 

 of natural hiflory, or have converfed much with writers of vc 

 can beft explain. I fliall only pretend to fay, that thefe different 



K. Da'. 



