234



The Duchess of Bedford,



which are few in number, but for the great beauty of the caves

themselves. The walls are a harmonious blending of colour—red,

green, brown and yellow—and have been carved into a succession of

pillars and arches by the Atlantic breakers, which too often render

the caves unapproachable. No imaginary grotto of fairy legend

could be more beautiful than these probably almost unknown ex¬

amples of Nature’s architecture.


The same day I landed on Garve Island. “ The matrix, to

quote Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown, “ is limestone, and every inch of it

is studded with fossils.” The matrix had been “weathered out ” by

wind and wave, and the small fossil shells stand out so sharply

defided that one has to be careful how one clutches the rock on

landing'. However, it provides a security of foothold for the some¬

what precipitous ascent to the top, which it has not been my luck

to find on many of these sea-girt islands. A polished surface of

rock, covered -with slippery seaweed, is the usual order of things ;

and this, combined with the Atlantic swell, renders them as a rule

sanctuaries for the birds but inaccessible to the naturalist.


I had an unexpected find in the shape of a freshly dead mole

on the island, brought there probably by the Gulls, as no mole

could find a living in such a place.


Seven Eider Ducks’ nests were found, one with five young in

it; but, generally, there were only one or two eggs, several of which

were on the point of hatching, showing I think, that they are

probably robbed by the Gulls.


On the 21st June I landed for the fourth time on North

Rona, not by any of the recognised landing-places, at all of which

there was too much swell, but nearer the big cliff on the east side.

By far the most abundant birds away from the cliffs are the Lesser

Black-backed Gulls. They are nesting from one end of the island

to the other; and at this season of the year, when the ground is

thickly covered with Thrift, make a most charming contrast with

their pink and green carpet. There are comparatively few Great

Black-backed and Herring Gulls. Though there were hundreds of

Fulmars on the island, there were far fewer nesting in the ruined

houses than usual. I attribute this to the fact that two gentlemen

had put up a shelter in one of the houses and spent a few days there



