2428 The Zoologist — January, 1871. 



take their departure before sunrise in small strings, and these 

 islands are left to fight out the long dark tempestuous winter 

 uncheered by their presence. Then the gale drives in from the 

 Atlantic, and the wild waves dash high up the precipice, sending 

 the foam and spray in clouds so high that, as I sit in the light- 

 house, 700 feet high, it beats against the glass, and the wind yells 

 and strains like a giant at the lighthouse, as if it would tear it from 

 off the ground, and for days we cannot venture beyond the four walls 

 for fear of being blown into the sea. At such a time no mails can 

 come to us for weeks, for the Sound of Bernera is a very chaos of 

 fiercely fighting waves : last year it was so bad that a great wave 

 dashed right over Sinclair's Rock and washed off all the sheep. 

 Then for long days together wc are in the clouds, being so high 

 up, and the cold and damp and storm, without the face of a friend 

 to cheer one, arc so very trying; and we eagerly look for the 

 winter migrants, and bring the telescope to bear on any stray bird 

 flying or swimming. Sometimes a great northern diver sports 

 under the rocks, or a red- or blackthroated shoots southward with 

 the speed of thought, and we arc longing to follow j or an eagle 

 stays about the island for a day or two ; or a flock of bcrnicle or 

 graylag geese goes by ; and in the Sound the scoter ducks, the 

 goldeneye, the longlailed harold, and many others sport about ; or 

 a flock of " snow-flakes," as we call the snow bunting, flutters about 

 us fearlessly. One winter, I remember, more than a thousand rooks 

 came across the Minch from Skye, but they did not stay more than 

 two days ; and often we have large flocks of berniclc geese stay 

 here for weeks together, and then we tax every exertion to snare 

 or shoot them. But the winter is " a sair cauld, dreary time, 

 and we're aye glad when we see the first bonnie 'patie' come, as 

 then we know that winter is past." I fully entered into the feelings 

 of the light-keeper, and felt very thankful thai 1 was not doomed to 

 bare, stormy Barra Head in winter. 



I will just add, in bringing these bird-haunts of Barra to a close, 

 the time of the arrival of the rock birds, as furnished me by the 

 light-keeper last year. 



April 5. Some puffins have arrived. 



„ 7. A great number of guillemots and razorbills have come. 



„ 11. They have all left again. 



„ 25. About half the number have returned to-day. 



„ 28. They have all gone away again. 



