&28 TEANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The number of natives resident in the island at i lie 

 time of my visit was 76, but in the course of my stay an 

 addition was made to the population — the hist for over a 

 year — bringing the total up to 77, which makes an 

 average of 4*8 persons to each household. The men are a 

 sturdy, vigorous race, averaging perhaps a little under the 

 middle height, but thick set and strong looking. There 

 is a dark and a light type, the latter predominating. The 

 women are big framed and strong, and apparently age 

 early, which is not to be wondered at, considering the 

 hard lives they lead. They are very hard working, and 

 carry remarkably heavy loads on their backs. Every 

 morning during the spring and summer some of them 

 traverse the ridge which runs across the island to (he 

 " glen " on the opposite side, where the milking ewes and 

 cows are kept on account of the richness of the pasturage, 

 returning in the evening with sacks full of freshly-gathered 

 grass on their backs: whilst in the early morning, before 

 they leave, and in the evening after their return 

 they are busy with household duties. The people 

 as a whole are kind and hospitable ; they are civil 

 to, but apt to be somewhat suspicious of, strangers, and 

 as their demeanour is rather impassive, they do not always 

 impress visitors altogether favourably. Personally I 

 found them a very civil, obliging lot, and perfectly honest. 

 They are exceedingly temperate, and rarely quarrel. They 

 are very zealous in the performance of their religious 

 duties, and attend the services of their church with great 

 regularity. I attended one of these services one Sunday 

 morning. This was, of course, conducted in Gaelic, of 

 which I did not understand a word, and a sermon of about 

 an hour's duration in that language was, therefore, 

 naturally not very informing. The service was of the 

 usual Highland character, but to a. stranger the Gaelic 



