A RECENT VISIT TO THE FARNE ISLANDS. 293 



own observations, considers that the Water Vole, in any form, is 

 not common in that county. He adds, " I have only met with 

 one instance of the black variety, and that was seen by a doctor 

 near Talgarth ; it was taking bits off the roots of a water-plant 

 and swimming with them to the bank." The comparative scarcity 

 of the common form both in North and South Wales is interesting 

 when considered in connection with the absence of the genus 

 Arvicola from Ireland. 



A EECENT VISIT TO THE FARNE ISLANDS. 

 By John Cordeaux. 



The "Fern," "Farn," or "Fame" Islands, as they are 

 usually called, are a scattered group of rocky islets, naked 

 and wind-swept, situated south-east of Bamborough, on the 

 Northumberland coast, and distant from the mainland from two 

 to five miles, which latter distance will cover the Longstone, the 

 most easterly of the Outer group. 



Strictly speaking, there are two distinct clusters of islands in 

 "Farneland," by which name it was known to the Saxons; these 

 are separated by a strait rather more than a mile wide, and with 

 a considerable depth of water, called the Oxscar road or Staple 

 sound. The Outer Fames consist of the Longstone (on which 

 is the lighthouse), the Harcar rocks, Great and Little Wamses, 

 Brownsman, Staple Island, and the Pinnacles, Nivestone and 

 Crumstone— the latter par excellence the haunt of the Seals 

 which frequent the islands. The Inner group consists of Fame 

 Island proper, with an area of sixteen acres, sometimes called 

 the House Island, and containing many interesting remains of 

 ancient buildings — the Wedums, corrupted into "Wide-opens" — 

 the two Noxes, which are north of the Wedums, and the Scarcar 

 rock east of these — the Megstone, at the extreme north of the 

 Fame ; this latter is the nesting haunt of the Common Cor- 

 morant, the part they most frequent being conspicuous from a 

 great distance by its lime-washed appearance. The number of 

 islets in the two groups varies from fifteen to twenty -five, for at 

 low-water or half-tide some become united, and it is quite possible 

 to walk dry-shod over the occasionally submerged rocks from one 

 to another. 





