Rev. Dr Fleming's Gleanmg^^ of Naiiiral Tlisiory. 97 
board a live example of the Great Auk {^Alca impennls)^ which 
Mr Maclellan, the tacksman of Glass, had captured some time 
before, off St Kilda. It was emaciated, and had the appearance 
of being sickly ; but, in the course of a few days, it became 
sprightly, having been plentifully supplied wdth fresh fish, and 
permitted occasionally to sport in the water, with a cord fastened 
to one of its legs, to prevent escape. Even in this state of re- 
straint, it performed the motions of diving and swimming under 
water, with a rapidity that set all pursuit from a boat at defiance. 
A few white feathers were at this time making their appearance 
on the sides of its neck and throat, which increased considerably 
during the following week, and left no room to doubt, that, like 
its congeners, the blackness of the throat feathers of summer is 
exchanged for white, during the winter season. I may add, that 
the black colour of the throat of the Razor-bill (Alca tordd)^ w'as 
at this time undergoing a similar change. In the young of this 
species the neck was black, but the throat was freckled with 
white. The bill was black, wnth the rudiments of a single ridge, 
and the white line reaching to the eye was obvious. At this 
time, the Shear-water {Fuffinus Anghrumi) appeared in large 
flocks: 
After leaving the Isle of Glass, and taking shelter, on the 
19th of August, in Loch Maddy, we sailed across to Sky, on 
the 20th, and entered Loch Scavig, where we landed. At 
the head of this bay, a small rivulet from Loch Coruisk, falls 
over an irregular ridge of rock into the sea. Numerous trouts 
and salmon were collected near its mouth, and occasionally at- 
tempted to make their way up the stream. The great drought 
of the season, however, had so much diminished the quantity of 
water, at this time, as to render their efforts ineffectual. 
Gleii Coruisk is no less remarkable for the matchless sterility 
of the precipitous cliffs and pointed summits of the mountains, 
by which it is enclosed, than for the characteristic displays of the 
strata of hypersthene, of which these consist. This mineral oc- 
curs massive, and imbedded in small prismatic concretions in 
common and glassy felspar. 
^ Upon our departure from Loch Scavig, we visited the de- 
servedly celebrated spar-cave of Strathaird,, sometimes termed^ 
VOL. X. NO. 19. tan. 1824. o 
