224 



Mr. Atkinson's Notice of St. Kilda. 



human population in number, and are a most mongrel set : it has been 

 stated they assist in the capture of Puffins and subterranean fowl, but 

 I have reason to think this a mistake. From the steep nature of their 

 shores they have seldom seals, and never any otters. 



Agriculture is not much attended to ; a small quantity of excellent 

 barley grows near the village, the different properties being divided by 

 rows of stones, as big as a man's fist. A few potatoes are likewise 

 raised, but nothing more. 



Except from the rocks, fishing is not pursued, for they have only one 

 very clumsy boat, and manage it miserably ; so in fact, fowling is their 

 only occupation. 



The birds, which we observed on St. Kilda, are as follows : — 



Goshawk, Falco palumbarius. 

 Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. 

 Common Wren, Troglodytes europceus. 

 Oyster Catcher, Hcematopus ostralegus. 

 Kittiwake Gull, Larus tridaciylus. 

 Great Black-backed Gull, Larus marinus. 

 Herring Gull, Larus argentatus. 

 Fulmar Petrel, Procellaria glacialis. 

 Manx Petrel, Procellaria anglorum, Temm. 



Stormy Petrel, Porcellaria pelagica. 

 Fork-tailed Petrel, Porcellaria Leachii. 

 Scarf or Cormorant, Carbo cormaranus. 

 Gannet or Solan Goose, Sula alba. 

 Guillemot, Uria Troile. 

 Black Guillemot, Uria grylle. 

 Puffin, Mormon fratercula. 

 Razor-bill, Alca torda. 

 Great Auk, Alca impennis. 



In conclusion — with regard to the scenery of this group of islands, 

 it is so decidedly unlike any thing else 1 have seen, that I scarcely know 

 how to venture on the description, and should have been almost tempted 

 to omit it, but that it constitutes their most decided and wonderful pe- 

 culiarity. To convey in writing, any idea of size, requires some similar 

 known object to refer and compare with that under description, and the 

 nearer the two resemble each other, the more correct is the impression 

 likely to be which is formed from that description. I have seen much 

 very fine rock scenery, but never any thing so vast and imposing as to 

 serve even to ground a notion of St. Kilda on, and, for my own part, 

 I know no rocks which it would not be absolutely ridiculous to select 

 for the purpose of comparison. 



I have said the Islands St. Kilda and Borera rise from the sea perpen- 

 dicularly, nearly on every side, and that they each in some places pre- 



