Mr. Atkinson's Notice of St. Kilda. 223 



In company with the Puffin, the Manx Petrel associates himself, but 

 is so scarce, that although we devoted a day to it, and were assisted by 

 half the population, we only found two nests. These were in somewhat 

 larger and more intricate holes than the Puffin usually makes, and dis- 

 played rather more appearance of a nest, being composed of half a hat-full 

 of dry grass, and contained one white egg each, and a supply of fresh 

 sorrel leaves. The quantity of oil is not so abundant as in the Fulmar, 

 and the bird is of a more slim and elegant make. I was rejoiced to find 

 Mr. Bewick's figure which was taken from a badly-stuffed specimen, 

 exceedingly good.* 



The Stormy Petrel breeds in small numbers among the rocks and 

 huge stones about the east of Soa ; it comes forth at night and 

 amuses itself all day by singing in its hole, in a harsh note, like a Star- 

 ling's ; it lays an oval white egg, exceedingly brittle, as large as a Black- 

 bird's.t 



The remaining animal produce of St. Kilda consists of about 20 small 

 ponies, employed to bring the turf which they use as firing, from the 

 hills ; some kyloes, whose milk, with that of the sheep, they manufac- 

 ture into excellent cheeses ; and a quantity of wild-looking sheep ; 

 small, like the other quadrupeds, in size, but affording most delicious 

 mutton. On Borera, they are often striped and mottled in a curious 

 manner, and long in the leg, giving one very much the idea of reverg- 

 ing to a state of nature. Dogs conclude the list. They equal the 



*In an expedition to the Shetland Islands this summer (1832), I find that the Shear- 

 water is comparatively abundant there, and in high esteem as an article of food ; one of 

 our party procured nearly a dozen eggs in the north of Unst. 



f In some parts of Zetland this bird breeds in great numbers ; on two islands, Oxnay and 

 Papa, in the Bay of Scalloway, particularly. The former of these I visited on the 15th 

 of June, 1832, and, by turning over the large cobble stones (as big and bigger than a man's 

 head) till I came to the earth, a yard below, I caught, I dare say, two dozen of these little 

 fellows ; they did not seem to have commenced breeding, as, though I saw the cavities of 

 last year's nests, I did not get an egg. They are so weak in the leg that they cannot stand, 

 and shuffle along on the whole length of the leg, most awkwardly. From the same cause 

 they cannot rise from a level surface, but must have a tuft of sod, or stone to rise from. 

 The fishermen sometimes amuse themselves by pouring buckets of boiling water among 

 the large stones, which sends them forth in great consternation. 



VOL. II. 3 c 



