THE BASS ROCK AND ITS BIRDS. 139 



poaching fishermen, and at the top of the broken 

 grass-grown steps a rough door has been placed, 

 which is kept carefully locked. No other way on 

 to the Bass is possible,, except by scaling the cliffs. 

 Years ago the rock was used as a prison, and it is 

 said that many illustrious captives were confined 

 thereon. 



Just as at St. Kilda, my first impressions of the 

 Bass were most disappointing. Many birds may 

 be seen with a good glass from Canty Bay, but as 

 the boat chafes and bumps against the rocky 

 landing-place in a little creek which terminates in 

 a cave frequented by Shags no one without a 

 previous knowledge of the place would dream that 

 such a vast and wonderful bird colony was so close 

 at hand. The Bass slopes to the south and east, 

 but on the north, north-east, and west falls in more 

 or less broken precipices to the sea, hence but few 

 birds are visible until the edge of the cliffs is 

 reached. I well remember on my first visit seeing 

 a Willow Wren, an odd bird that had probably 

 stopped for a rest in its flight across the Forth ; 

 on other occasions I have flushed Blackbirds and 

 Twites from the hill-sides, but I do not think any of 

 these species breed there. The Rock Pipit is not 

 uncommon, and of course is a resident ; the Jack- 



