MUCK. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 523 



MUCK.* 



THIS little verdant island forms part of a group with 

 Rum, Canna, and Egg; resembling in some measure the 

 two latter in composition, and presenting one common 

 feature with the last, namely, the upper members of the 

 secondary strata, subjacent to the trap which constitutes 

 the principal part of its mass. 



From this rock it derives the same excellent soil which 

 distinguishes Canna, with the same fertility, and the same 

 perennial verdure. Its surface is undulated throughout, 

 and presents in every part the rocky faces of the basaltic 

 terraces that constitute these irregularities. It possesses 

 but one decided hill, situated near the western extremity 

 of the island and attaining an elevation of about 600 feet. 

 The shores are in general low and rocky, but near the 

 western end they rise into cliffs of about fifty or sixty 

 feet in height. The length of Muck is about two miles 

 and the breadth less than one ; a space too small for the 

 collection of water sufficient to form even a brook ; but 

 it contains springs as do all the islands which consist 

 of the same rock. 



From its structure it is deficient in peat, a want severely 

 felt by the inhabitants, who are thus compelled to procure 

 this article from Airdnamurchan. 



BASALT and fine greenstone are the predominant varieties 

 of trap here found. These have sometimes an indistinct 

 columnar tendency ; more commonly they are amorphous. 

 The rock is now and then pure, and at other times, with- 

 out being properly amygdaloidal, it contains analcime and 

 rnesotype imbedded in small dispersed nodules. In some 



* Muc, a hog ; Gaelic. See the Map. 



