. 72 Proceedings- of the Royal Physical Society. 



caused by overstocking. Mr Skirving next noticed as a re- 

 markable fact the absence of several species of birds, tbongh 

 the soil and climate seemed peculiarly adapted for them, 

 which was proved by their congeners, the rest of the families, 

 being abundantly present. Thus, every variety of the thrush 

 was found in extraordinary numbers, with the single excep- 

 tion of the ring ouzel {Turdus torquatus), which was totally 

 absent. The common sparrow and green linnet were also 

 scarce. The merlin and kestrel occur, the former being 

 somewhat plentiful, and the latter scarce. The hen-harrier, 

 a rare hawk on the mainland, came in considerable numbers 

 to Islay in August as a migrant — ^the males appearing in 

 August, and the females in September. Mr Skirving believed 

 that the hen-harrier, like most hawks, preferred small birds, 

 rats, and mice, to game ; he had seen it hunt over stubbles 

 that were dotted with black-game, pheasants, and partridges, 

 and take not the slightest notice of any of them. Among 

 other Islay birds which occasionally occur were the snowy owl 

 [Burnia nyctea), osprey {Pandion halimetus), and the bittern 

 {Botaurus stellaris). The sparrow-hawk is resident. The 

 chough is still found in some numbers, though subjected to 

 much persecution on account of an increasing demand for 

 the skins by dealers in natural history specimens. The 

 rook is also a common permanent resident. The hooded crow 

 is migratory. The house swallow is common. The land-rail 

 is very common. White-fronted geese, bernicle and brent 

 geese, are abundant ; of wild swans 7 to 70 having been seen 

 in separate flocks during the present winter ; teal ducks (resi- 

 dent and breeding), etc., are also to be classed in the Islay 

 avi-fauna. Mr Eobert Gray, to whom the author acknow- 

 ledged his obligations for notes on the birds not observed by 

 him, also remarked that eagles were still occasionally seen in 

 Islay, and that among other interesting birds the Greenland 

 falcon has occurred in the island. 



Professor Blackie made some remarks, in which he vigor- 

 ously defended the Highlanders from the strictures of Mr 

 Scot-Skirving, attributing their present condition chiefly to — 

 (1.) The geographical remoteness of the Gaelic-speaking 



