320 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



separated by a deep glen or hollow from the lighthouse 

 portion, which hollow runs in a N.W. an4 S-E. direction from 

 the " Mill Door," already mentioned, to the Kirkhaven. This 

 part, at one place equal in height to the site of the lighthouse, 

 slopes away to the South Ness, running out to the cliff-edge 

 with an elevation of about 50 feet. It comprises the semi- 

 artificially-formed and confervae-inhabited lakelet, the farm- 

 buildings of the station, the cultivated fields to the southward, 

 the well and pump therewith connected, the Kirkhaven, the 

 Chapel and Priory, the Ladies' Well and Cave, the curious 

 isolated rocks called " The Pilgrims," the outlying skerries of 

 the " Maiden's Hair " and " Maiden's Bed," and the east coast 

 pier and landing-place of the island. There is also a deep 

 depression, which runs round the east side of the island, 

 called on the map '' Holyman's Eoad," over which the path 

 which leads to the lower lighthouse crosses by a substantially- 

 built bridge. It is amongst these hollows and fields and 

 stone-walled enclosures that many land birds on migration 

 must be looked for. Often we saw flocks of Linnets, Larks, 

 and Thrushes skim over the south wall of the cornfields, and 

 drop for shelter in the potatoes or stubbles, or shot the Jack 

 or Common snipe out of the scanty cover afforded by the 

 debris of stones near the old Priory, and saw the bold Pere- 

 grine falcon dash, swift of wing, from KW. to S.E. down the 

 hollow, or chase the Eedwing over the undulating ground 

 east of Holyman's Eoad. 



On the west side the Isle of May is precipitous, and 

 affords abundance of nestino- sites of rock-birds, such as 

 Kittiwakes, Eazorbills, Guillemots, and Shags, etc. On the 

 east side it slopes away gradually from the highest parts of 

 cliff-edge and lighthouse site to the tide- mark, thus forming 

 what is known and described by geologists as " The Crag- 

 and-tail formation. 



Many caves honeycomb the western cliffs, some of consider- 

 able depth and grandeur, and on the North Ness peninsula many 

 creeks, gyos or tide-passes, intersect the rocky formation. In 

 certain winds there are other landing-places used besides 

 the regular east and west ones mentioned, but these are only 

 rarely available, viz., at " Mill Door " and " Maiden's Hair." 



