620 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
These lists are not a little suggestive, when regarded from the 
point of view of the geographical distribution of animals. Taking 
into account the climatal condition of Lewis, its relation to the 
mainland and to the islands of the Outer Hebrides group, it will be 
seen that its fauna contains forms which could scarcely have been 
looked for there, and that others are absent which we might have 
expected to find. Its climate is comparatively mild, and not 
so humid as many believe. The mean annual temperature is 
46°'5', and the average annual rain-fall is not more than 30*2 
inches. The greatest cold is seldom more than 35°, and the 
greatest heat 65°. 
In the list of mammalia the Mustelidce are represented by two 
genera, Lutra and Maries. It is, however, remarkable that neither 
the common weasel, the stoat, nor the polecat, should be met with 
in a locality which still shelters one of the least common Scottish 
forms of this family — the rapidly decreasing Maries foina. This 
animal, whose skin still sells at a price varying from 14s. to 20s., 
occurs in Sir James Matheson’s deer forest, Mhorsgail. Under 
the family Phocidce, the common seal and the grey seal are named 
as known to breed on the west coast of Lewis. When Martin 
visited the district more than 160 years ago, he wrote — “ Seals are 
eaten by the vulgar, who find them to be as nourishing as beef and 
mutton.” Two species of Muridce occur — the common mouse and 
the Norway rat. In almost all other districts these species are 
found associated with the shrews, the voles, and the field mouse, 
none of which are met with in Lewis. It is curious, too, that 
while the common and Alpine hares abound, there are no rabbits. 
Several attempts to introduce them have failed. The fox, hedge- 
hog, mole, and badger, are also absent, yet these, I believe, all 
occur in Skye. The number of species of Mammalia which fall to 
be associated with Lewis is thirteen. In the same way, the num- 
ber of species of birds is 110. Many of these, however, are 
occasional visitors. The number of reptiles is one, and of land 
mollusca seven. A careful examination may add some forms to the 
last ; but I do not anticipate that the list of birds will have many 
names added. 
Many of the birds came under my own observation. Others are 
named from a collection preserved at the gamekeeper’s lodge, near 
