BIRD-MIGRATION AT ST KILDA 185 



the investigations be undertaken, even if negative results 

 alone rewarded the adventure, in order to ascertain 

 what migrants, if any, visited this far-outlying and 

 remotest of the British Isles. I had made arrangements 

 to spend my autumn vacation there in 1904, but 

 circumstances arose which compelled me to change 

 my plans, and it was not until last year, 1910, that I 

 again turned my thoughts towards that remote western 

 archipelago. 



To render such a visit possible in the autumn, the 

 season best suited for the investigations, necessitated 

 making private arrangements for my return to the main- 

 land, for there is no regular communication with St Kilda 

 from the end of August until May of the followiiig year. 

 Fortunately, through my friend Prof D'Arcy Thompson, 

 I was able to enlist the aid of the Scottish Fishery Board, 

 who most kindly arranged that I should be relieved by 

 one of their cruisers — an obligation which I gratefully 

 acknowledge, though, as the sequel will show, I 

 availed myself, under the pressure of circumstances, of 

 other means of escape which unexpectedly presented 

 themselves. 



Leaving Glasgow on the afternoon of 29th August, 

 accompanied by George Stout, lately my trusty observer 

 at Fair Isle, I landed at St Kilda on the morning of 

 ist September, and took up residence in the factor's 

 empty house, which had been most kindly placed at my 

 disposal. Here we remained until 8th October, when 

 the weather, which had been unsettled for some days, 

 showed signs of growing worse, and gave warning that 

 it was high time to emigrate, or to risk remaining on 

 the island for a longer period than my leave warranted 

 my doing. On the day named, I accepted the most 



