24 COLONSAY 



the Starling (Druideag) inhabit clefts and fissures underneath 

 Carnan Eoin. Woodcock (Coilleach Coille) nest among 

 the withered bracken in the natural woods, from which also 

 issues the prolonged jarring note of the Nightjar (Cuidheal- 

 Mhor). Its nest, with two nestlings, has been found in the 

 heather. To dry, stony, and louely situations the Wheat- 

 ear (Clachran) and the Stonechat are partial. In strange 

 contrast with its wild surroundings, the little Rock Pipit 

 appears flitting and chirping from rock to rock on the stormy 

 shore. 



Kiloran, with its pretty policies and plantations of forest 

 trees, offers a pleasing contrast to the characteristic bareness 

 of the surrounding landscape. " The luxuriance of the trees 

 in the neighbourhood of Colonsay House astonishes the 

 stranger, who, while wandering in their glades, might easily 

 fancy himself in some well-wooded part of the Lowlands. 

 Here we find growing vigorously in the open air, all the 

 year round, several plants which on the mainland could not 

 survive the winter." l The garden and grounds, which were 

 laid out in a naturally well-sheltered situation, are now 

 further protected by belts of forest trees. Plants, flowers, 

 fruit, and vegetables usually seen in gardens on the main- 

 land arrive here at a tolerable state of perfection. 



The site of the present mansion-house adjoins that of an 

 old abbey and churchyard. According to the Old Statistical 

 Account, there was a monastery of Cistercians in the island, 

 their abbey being in Kiloran and their priory in Oransay. 

 At the beginning of last century the ruined walls of the old 

 church, which stood on what is now a grassy slope south- 

 east of the house, were removed to allow of the extension of 

 the pleasure-grounds in that direction. In 1695 it is 

 recorded by Martin that the "principal church" stood in 

 the village of Kiloran. As early as 1549 Monro writes 



1 Professor Geikie, in his Notes on the Geology of Colonsay and 

 Oransay. 



