Letters, Extracts, Announcements, &c. 481 
on the aforesaid whales were too far off for distinct identifica- 
tion, though I could distinctly make out that they were of 
two species, one of which was the Lesser Black-backed Gull 
(L. fuscus) in full plumage. The island is, roughly speaking, 
about half a mile or rather more in length from tie west to 
the east, highest at the western end, upon which the light- 
house stands, and is composed of what looks like a yellowish- 
red sandstone with masses of boulder-stones imbedded in the 
cliffs which form its sea-walls, and which average from forty 
to sixty feet in height above the water. We let go the anchor 
in about 8 fathoms some quarter of a mile from the island, 
on its southern side, and pulled off in our cutter to a landing- 
place just below the lighthouse; we spoke two men in a 
fishing-boat on our way, who told us that the only birds 
which nested upon the island were Gulls, that there was only 
one kind, and that there were eggs in the nests now. At the 
landing-place we were greeted and assisted by some half dozen 
of the lighthouse people, who seemed very glad to see us, and 
said that their provisions were running short, as they are 
only irregularly supplied by a sailing-boat from the mainland, 
and for some weeks past the weather had been so tempestuous, 
although this day was so calm, that they were beginning to 
feel anxious. The ascent from the landing-place was so 
rough and steep that I, having barely recovered from an 
attack of rheumatic gout, considered that my “ strength was 
to sit still,’ and be rowed round the island; but my son, and 
the young Sevillano who accompanied us, jumped ashore with 
the ardour of youth, bent upon the exploration of unknown 
country, and with strict injunctions from me to shoot every 
bird that they could, and gather every plant that they could 
find. It was growing dark, numbers of Gulls were wheeling 
in circles high over the island, and I set off to row slowly 
round, with my gun across my knees. I saw a good many 
Gulls, but they were very wary, and not one gave me a shot, 
though I could hear my son platooning away on the flat 
summit of the island, which, as he afterwards told me, 
averages about 100 to 150 yards in width from north to 
south, and is rough and stony, with a thick growth of a low- 
SER. IV.—VOL. IV. cane 
