BIRD-CATCHING IN SHETLAND. 259 
Many of the birds of the two latter tribes, 
either from their feathers, skins, oil, or eggs, are 
considered, as it were, the standard harvest of the 
poor people, who, like them, are destined to abide 
amidst the wild and lonely islands of the ocean: 
it is, therefore, natural to suppose that no means 
are neglected, no ingenuity left untried in providing, 
whether for rent, clothing, food, or the lamp-light 
of their long and dreary Winter s nights, by laying 
in a store of each of these important articles, for 
which they are indebted to their companions, the 
sea-birds. And as the risks and difficulties which 
they encounter and overcome, form leading fea- 
tures in their lives, we shall close our account with 
a few of the hazardous and interesting details 
connected with the reaping of this their fearful 
harvest. 
It is chiefly on the most rugged shores of Scot- 
land, or on the more rugged rocks of the several 
adjacent islands, or still further to the north, in the 
Shetland or Ferroe Islands, that this “ dreadful trade” 
is carried on in the perfection of its horrors ; though 
in some parts of Wales, as, for instance, near the 
South Stack above-mentioned, and the Needle Rocks 
in the Isle of Wight, adventurous climbers will occa- 
sionally exhibit feats of perilous achievement, quite 
sufficient to satisfy most beholders. In some parts 
of the coast, immense mounds or fragments of rocks 
have been cut off from the main land by terrible 
convulsions of nature, or the incessant wearing of 
waves through fissures and narrow channels for suc- 
cessive ages. On a few of these spots, sea-birds, 
for a time, rested securely, till some bold adventurers 
