UEV. 11. A. .MACPIIKRSON 0.\ TllK MANX SIIRAKWATEH. 
:21G 
lavoured by rapid visits from at least two excellent ornithologists, 
iMr. J. Dalgleish and Mr. W. Evans of Edinburgli. Since niy 
notes were written, I have had the pleasure of reading the very 
charming paper in Avhicli Mr. Evans recorded his passing 
impressions, and it is impossible to escape regret tliat he 
was unable to spend more than four days (including Sunday, a 
bye-day) in the island. Since prehis'toric times, the residents 
ill Eigg have constantly plundered the burroivs of the Shearwater : 
formerly, they regularly salted them for -winter use, and though 
at present they only relegate their carcases to a saline 
process for a few days, the birds are much harassed, and nest 
so largely in the inaccessible portions of the cliff, tliat, aftev their 
usual spring raids have been made on the “ Puffin,” it is difficult 
to find many undisturbed burrows. Such was the case in 1885 at 
any rate, when the Eigg men assured me that my search would be 
to little purpose ; and though they assisted me cordially, the vast 
proportion of burrows proved to be eitlier recently robbed, or not 
lo have been used at all during the season. 
It is upon the braes and shelves of the precipices -which 
overhang the bay of Laig, and command a magnificent view of the 
lofty mountains of Pum, on the other side of a narrow sound, that 
the largest colonies of Shearwaters prefer to nidificate, at a distance 
varying from half-a-niile to a mile from the sea shore, and at a 
height of from a hundred to seven hundred feet (I give the figures 
only approximately). Eroiii the base of these noble cliffs, the 
limestone formation, strewn with fragments of rock, and enjoying 
a lu.xuriant vegetation, sinks gradually to the low rocks which 
immediately overhang the beach beneath. It is in the softer soil, 
upon the face of the precipices, where heather grows, that the 
burrows of this colony are chiefly to be found. They extend 
in length from three to about five feet, and are fairly broad. 
Mr. Evans has rightly surmised that in some instances the hurrows 
excavated by Lepus canicidas are occupied by the Shearwater ; 
but, of the large number -which I examined, the vast majority had 
been made by the Shearwater. And when I mention that it is 
within a hundred feet of the summit of the cliffs that the greater 
number of the Shearwaters nestle, and that rabbits have been 
introduced only of late years, and arc at ]iresent almost entirely 
confined to the south of the island, the force of the eritici.sin will 
