SULE SKERRY AND ITS BIRD-VISITORS 287 



the broad belt of rugged rocks forming the protecting 

 barrier or coast-line averages 1 5 feet, rising in one or two 

 places to 30 feet. Thus it is not surprising that less 

 than one-half its area of 35 acres is free from the onsets 

 of the great Atlantic breakers during the prevalence of 

 storms, which are of frequent occurrence in its latitude. 

 This oasis forms the central and highest portion of 

 the island, and is clothed in summer with a luxuriant 

 crop of coarse grass, marguerites {Chrysanthemum 

 inodorum), and other herbage. The marguerites 

 flourish exceedingly among rough stones and rocks, 

 most of which they completely hide, as he who ventures 

 among them will soon find to his great discomfort. 



As Sule Skerry was a considerable source of danger 

 to navigation, and had been the scene of many 

 disastrous shipwrecks, a lighthouse was erected on it, 

 so that since the autumn of 1895 it has ceased to be a 

 source of anxiety to mariners. 



The island is visited annually by a number of 

 migratory birds, probably those which traverse the 

 west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides, when pro- 

 ceeding to and from Northern Europe via the Shetland 

 Isles. Of these, a few alight to rest or to search for food. 

 The great majority pass in the night, when, unless the 

 atmospheric conditions at the moment are favourable 

 for bringing the decoying powers of the lantern into 

 display, nothing is observed. The fact that so many 

 species, and so many individuals of some of them, have 

 come under notice, goes far to establish the importance 

 of the station. But while the island lies in the regular 

 course of certain migrants, yet there are others which 

 we should expect to find, such as the Starling and 

 the Skylark, which are remarkable exceptions. The 



