MU. IIARVIE-BROWN OJf PRIEST ISLAND AND ITS BIRD LIFa 313 
Antiquities in the Aluseum of the Society of Antiquaries of 
Scothiiul, and in reply to niy enquiries ho M-rote under date of 
April 1th, 188J. “The curious circle of stones laid Hat M'hich you 
describe as in the centre of the remains of the old village on 
Priest Island does not resemble any prehistoric construction that I 
am acquainted -with. I mean that I cannot recognize it as 
belonging to any known class of such structures. From its position 
in the centre of the village, I would be inclined to look for an explana- 
tion in some casual, local, or special purpo.se of no great antiquity, 
as I do not suppose the village can be regarded as prehistoric. 
I do not think there is any notice of Priest Island, unless it may be 
in the statistical account.” The new statistical account merely 
mentions that Priest Island was at that date sometimes inhabited ; 
and up till now I have not been able to find out anything further 
regarding this curious (to my eye) circle of stones, which are nine 
in number, and at regular and equal distances from one another. 
Some are more chipped than others, whilst all are very smooth and 
polished on the exposed surface, and some have retained their 
oiiginal parallelogramatic shape almost perfect. It has been 
suggested that it is an old smith’s forge, but perhaps some one of 
the Society can put this at rest and explain its origin and use. 
The Southern and highest part of Priest Island is sharply 
defined and separated from the northern portion by a line mural 
precipice, where evidently a pair of Peregrine Falcons had their 
dwelling-place. The north part of the i.sland contains at least 
seven brackish M’ater lochs, all of which wo visited. 'Two of these 
lochs are of some magnitude. Pound the shores of one of the 
larger, a colony of Lesser Elack-backed Gulls were breeding, and 
wo saw' the young. 
Having been informed that Trout existed in these lochs, but 
feeling profoundly sceptical, and having brought a lly rod, 
we tried in vain to raise a fish ; but w'e could see that they 
were densely stocked with Sticklebacks and Crustacea, and also 
numbers of large Eels, which scuttled out from the conferva^laden 
stones into the dark porter-coloured water. Cormorants were on 
the still lakes, and we disturbed a Wild Drake casting his quills 
and in the partial plumage cf the Duck. 
'The ishmd is curiously rugged and broken in its orograifiiical 
outline ; and standing in any one of its many dips and hill-circled 
