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effectual emetic also to any but a St.-Kildian. In the beginning of August the natives descend 

 the rocks for the young Fulmars — which are then nearly fledged, and by boiling with water in 

 proper vessels are made to furnish a large quantity of fat, which is skimmed off and preserved 

 in casks in the solid form. The old Fulmar is much esteemed as food by the St.-Kildians, 

 principally on account of its subcutaneous covering of fat, a substance of which they are 

 immoderately fond. One which I had the curiosity to taste unexpectedly proved tolerable 

 enough, after the envelope in question had been removed. Perhaps the keenness of my 

 appetite deceived me, as it was not blunted by the following bill of fare : — Fulmar, Auk, 

 Guillemot, one of each, boiled ; two Puffins, roasted ; barley-cakes, ewe-cheese, and milk ; and, 

 by way of dessert, raw dulse and roasted limpets ad libitum. 



" It is chiefly in pursuit of the Fulmar that the St.-Kildian requires to endanger his life, by 

 descending the tremendous precipices, on the faces of which it breeds in almost incredible 

 numbers. Their mode of procedure is as follows : — Two men go in company, each furnished 

 with several coils of rope, about half an inch in diameter. The person whose turn it is to 

 descend fastens one of the ropes under his arm-pits, and, holding the extremity of another rope 

 in one hand, is lowered down the cliff. His comrade stands a little way from the edge, holds 

 the supporting rope firmly with both hands, letting it go very slowly, while he allows the other 

 or guide-rope to slip out as is required from under one foot, which loosely secures it. When 

 the rope is all run out, another is joined to it by means of a noose with which it is provided, and 

 the line is thus lengthened to any degree. On arriving at a ledge occupied by birds the fowler 

 commences his operations, easily securing the eggs and young birds, knocking down the old ones 

 with a short stick, or catching them by a noose attached to a slender rod, killing them in a 

 moment by dexterously bending the head backwards upon the neck. He then secures his sport 

 by bundling the birds together and tying them to a rope let down from above, depositing at the 

 same time in a small basket the eggs which he had collected. The dexterity of these rockmen 

 is truly astonishing. The smallest spot is considered by them as a secure enough standing- 

 place ; and they will creep on hands and knees, though cumbered with a load of birds, along a 

 narrow ledge, seemingly without concern for their personal safety. 



" The Fulmar flies with great buoyancy and considerable rapidity, and when at sea is 

 generally seen skimming along the surface of the wave at a slight elevation, though I never 

 observed one to alight or pick up any thing from the water. Several which I dissected had the 

 stomach filled with pure oil, mixed up with the indigestible horny mandibles of some of the 

 Sepiadse, which, we may conclude, form their principal food. It is partially a nocturnal bird ; for 

 I seldom observed it at any distance from St. Kilda except during the evening and about day- 

 break, at the latter time always flying in the direction of St. Kilda as if hastening homewards. 

 I have also on one or two occasions, when at sea engaged in cod-fishing to the westward of the 

 Harris Islands, in very gloomy and rainy weather, observed a few Fulmars flying about the boat, 

 probably attracted by the fish we had caught. At its breeding-places, however, the Fulmar is 

 always in motion, comparatively few being to be seen upon the rocks, the great mass being 

 engaged flying in circles along the face of the precipice, and always in the same direction, none 

 crossing, probably on account of the confusion it would cause among such an immense multitude. 

 I never observed them utter any cry when thus engaged, or even when their nests were being 



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