The Zoologist— April, 1870. 2073 



Bird-haunts of the Outer Hebrides. 

 By Theodore C. Walker, Esq. 



The Outer Hebrides or "Long Island," as every one knows, is that 

 group of islands to the west of Sk}e, extending from the Butt of Lewi.s 

 to Bana Head. This land, barren, rugged, stormy, ever weeping with 

 the rain from the Atlantic, is nevertheless extremely interesting to the 

 ornithologist, on account of the great diversity of feature. On the 

 west extensive sands and " machirs," or low sand-hills,— in the interior 

 wild and rugged hills, lonely island-dotted lakes and marshes, — on the 

 east extensive lochs of deep water, while the islands to the south of 

 Barra have precipices of great height, — forming one of the most 

 celebrated breeding-places for the rock birds in Britain. 



Having for three seasons past " roughed it" in the southern parts 

 of these islands, an account of their avifauna may not prove un- 

 interesting to the readers of the 'Zoologist.' It will be my endeavour, 

 in place of giving a dry list of birds, to carry the reader in thought to 

 the scenes themselves ; to try, in word-pictures, to show him glimpses 

 of bird-life in that stormy land. Nature and her sjjirits, the free birds 

 of the air, have ever been my favourite study ; to use the telescope 

 instead of the fowling-piece, and, feasting one's eyes on the loved 

 scenes, to trace the hand of their Maker in their forms and habits. 



I crave the kind indulgence of the reader if I take up too much 

 space in describing thoughts and scenes, the remembrance of which 

 are so photographed on one's memory that as I write 1 am in thought 

 again among the wild hills and lonely shores of the land of my 

 fathers. 



" My heart is true, my heart is hi<;hlaiul, 

 And in my dreams behold the Hebrides." 



On the morning of the 8th of June, having had a comfortable 

 breakfast, my brother and I embarked on board the boat which takes 

 the mails to Barra Head lighthouse. The picturesque bay is animated 

 by tlie bustle and excitement of the herring season. The herring 

 fishery in the Outer Hebrides commences on the 1st of May, the 

 herring generally appearing in the north of Lewis, and gradually 

 working down the Minch. During May and June every loch and 

 bay of importance, which in winter is barren, desolate, terrible in its 

 solitude, is animated with the herring fishery : the boats come chiefly 

 from the north-east coast, Wick, Inverness, Banff, and many places, 



SECOND SEKIES — VOL- V. -li 



