204 KINGSBRIDGE 



Camden mentions the ruins of an old chapel as existing 

 somewhere here, but there is no appearance of such now. 

 On the summit of the island there is a ruin, and some time 

 ago we were informed by a Coastguard that he supposed it 

 to be the remains of an observatory that had been erected 

 in war time. He was rather surprised at receiving the 

 counter information that it had been built by the writer's 

 grandfather, for the accommodation of pic-nic parties at the 

 island. The short turf here affords about ten acres of sheep 

 pasture. It is riddled with rabbit burrows, so as to render 

 it quite a perilous feat to ascend to the top on horseback. 

 The wild squill is so abundant, that in the season of flower- 

 ing, the ground has the appearance of being overspread with 

 patches of blue carpet. There is a fine archway of rock at 

 the base of the island, and deep fissures in the cliffs tenanted 

 by innumerable sea gulls. 



Large quantities of pilchards are taken in Bigbury Bay. 

 These fish annually assemble in millions, and perform a 

 stately march through the sea, generally in the same 

 direction, and within certain limits. 



Mr. Couch, in his Report of the Penzance Nat. Hist, 

 and Antiq. Soc, 1847, says, "The main body retires for 

 the winter into deep water, to the westward of the Scilly 

 Islands. About the middle of spring they rise from the 

 depths of the ocean, and consort together in small shoals, 

 which, as the season advances, unite into larger ones, and 

 towards the end of July or beginning of August combine 

 in one mighty host, and advance towards the land in such 

 amazing numbers as to discolour the water as far as the 

 eye can reach. They strike the land generally to the north 

 of Cape Cornwall, where a detachment turns to the N. E., 

 and constitutes the summer fishery of St. Ives; but the 



