4l6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1677-8. 



This bird, in every shell that I opened, the least as well as the largest, I 

 found so curiously and completely formed, that there appeared nothing wanting, 

 as to the external parts, for making up a perfect sea-fowl : every little part ap- 

 pearing so distinctly, that the whole looked like a large bird seen through a 

 concave or diminishing glass; colour and feature being every where so clear and 

 neat. The little bill like that of a goose; the eyes marked; the head, neck, 

 breast, wings, tail, and feet, formed; the feathers every where perfectly shaped, 

 and blackish coloured ; and the feet like those of other water-fowl, to my best 

 remembrance. All being dead and dry, I did not look after the inward parts of 

 them. But I carried about 20 or 24 away with me. The largest I found upon 

 the tree was but about the size of the figure here representing them. I never 

 saw any of the little birds alive, nor ever met with any person that did. Only 

 some credible persons have assured me, they have seen some as large as their 

 fist.* 



j4 Description of the Island Hirta. By Sir Robert Moray. N° 137, P« 9^7. 



Hirta lies from Snod, in the isle of Skye, west and by north. From the 

 nearest land to it in the Hereisch, from whence people commonly take boat, it 

 lies due west, and the distance of about 50 miles. There are three islands to- 

 gether, Hirta, Soa, and Burra; but Hirta only is inhabited. The other two 

 are excellent pasturage for sheep, every sheep there having two Iambs every 

 year. 



Burra is inaccessible, except to the men of Hirta only, on account of the 

 difficulty of landing ; there being but about a foot broad of a landing place, and 

 that only to be attempted when the boat rises. For their usual way is, when 

 they come near the rock they turn the boat, and set the side to the shore, two 

 men, one at each end of the boat, with two long poles keeping it off, that the 

 waves may not dash it too violently against the rock, when it rises; at which 

 time only he who is to land makes his attempt. If he miss his landing place he 

 falls into the sea, and the rest of the people haul him aboard by a small rope 

 fastened about his middle, to prevent that danger. But when he safely lands, 

 which they seldom miss to do, the rest of his fellows land one by one ; except 



• In the present advanced state of natural history, it is almost unnecessary to observe that the 

 supposed birds contained in the shells here mentioned were no other than tlie proper inhabiting ani- 

 mals belonging to the Linnaean genus lepas among tlie testacea; the animal itself resembling the 

 genus triton, having several pair of curved and jointed feelers or tentacula, which, from their pecu- 

 liar disposition and fringed edges, bear a rude general resemblance to the tail of a bird. The species 

 here meant is the lepas anatifera of Linnaeus. 



