320 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



have for ages withstood the onslaught of the most furious 

 Atlantic storms : the hardihood of its inhabitants, whose 

 intrepidity and resourcefulness have won for themselves 

 a footing in this inhospitable and isolated spot, all these 

 combined with the marvellous wealth of bird life which 

 flourishes there, furnish to the lovers of the wild and 

 majestic in nature an irresistible attraction. I had long 

 had a desire to visit this far-famed island, and an oppor- 

 tunity having presented itself last summer, I sailed from 

 Glasgow, in company with my friend Mr. Xewstead, in 

 the s.s. " Hebrides," on the afternoon of June 2nd, and 

 after a delightful sail up the west coast of Scotland, 

 touching at several of the Hebridean ports, we finally 

 oast anchor in Tillage Bay, St. Kilda, about 1-30 in the 

 morning' of June 5th. Mr. jNTewstead was unfortunately 

 obliged to return home by the steamer " Dunara Castle," 

 which came to St. Kilda four days after our arrival, but 

 I waited for the return of the " Hebrides " on June 26th, 

 so that I spent exactly three weeks on the island. During 

 this time I occupied a small room in the cottage of Mr. 

 Donald Ferguson, the head man of the village, to whom, 

 and to his two sons, Alec and Neil Ferguson (the former 

 of whom is in business in Glasgow) I was indebted for 

 much kindness and attention, and readiness in imparting 

 information. I had nearly a fortnight on end of stormy 

 weather in the latter part of my stay, during which I was 

 only once able to get out in a boat, but on the other hand, 

 during the early part I got several beautiful days, which 

 enabled me to go almost everywhere, so that on the whole 

 I considered myself pretty fortunate in this respect. 



St. Kilda is a much written about place, and an apology 

 may seem needed for adding to the number of communi- 

 cations on the subject: but I have thought that a short 

 account of the place and its people, and of incidents of life 



