SIR A. GEIKIE'S RECOLLECTIONS 281 



air or in the water. In the course of a few days sun, 

 wind, rain, and salt spray told on his complexion, which 

 then assumed a ruddiness that would have astonished 

 the irinates of Magdalene College. The sharpness of his 

 eyesigit in the detection of birds on the wing, even 

 when le had nearly reached the age of seventy years, 

 was alvays an astonishment to his companions. And 

 the entmsiasm with which each fresh form was greeted 

 by him is it flew overhead became infectious to all on 

 board. . . 



These cruises formed an important element in 

 Newton's Ife during his later years. He looked forward 

 to them wth almost boyish exuberance and delighted 

 afterwards t> recount their varied incidents. They not 

 only providec a healthful and delightful holiday, but kept 

 him still in vlose personal touch with birds, which had 

 been the maininterest and study of his life. In spite 

 of the lamene$ which was understood to have been the 

 result of an ac^dent during infancy, he was often the 

 first to enter t\e boat which had been got ready for a 

 landing on som^urf-beaten rock, or for a closer inspec- 

 tion of the cav^ and stacks at the foot of a bird- 

 haunted precipici On such occasions, so self-dependent 

 was he, he wouldgently repel offers of the assistance 

 which was alway\ at his service. It was only when 

 the increasing feeWess of his limbs would have made 

 such assistance inospensable that he reluctantly gave 

 up the annual cruisv* 



His first visit to\t. Kilda was made in 1887 : 



The general sign is magnificent, but I have seen 

 taller cliffs and cliffs We full of birds in Spitzbergen. 

 I think the St. Kildaminister is a very good fellow, 

 but I wish he would sip the cruelties that the lambs of 

 his flock perpetrate ot innocent young birds, which 

 they bring away and toWe for their own amusement. 

 I was afraid it would be bought unmannerly or I should 



* Sir Archibald Geikie, P.R. Proceedings of the Royal Society, 

 B. vol. 80, 1908. 



