PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
93 
heavy rolling seas of the Atlantic, and without any accessible approach or landing, 
it is but rarely visited. From this account it may be conceived to be the resort of 
an enormous number of Pelagian birds, and it is scarcely credible the numbers 
that could be recounted at the time of my landing there, early in the month of 
July, I860. The part of the island where we landed bore N.N.E., which was 
sheltered, being the lee side, from the wind, which was N.E. The view of the 
island facing seaward forms a very remarkable appearance, and is a striking object 
or mark to vessels from the westward in making the Irish coast; the singular per¬ 
foration which forms a wide opening through the island, and the Froze Rock, cause 
the bearings to be easily known to the American traders. On landing I found the 
ascent to be exceedingly difficult from the extreme slipperiness of the rock, which rose 
abruptly and steeply from the sea, while many portions throughout the ascent were 
so easily detached as to render every step slow and cautious. Here, on all points 
around, were congregated such myriads of fowl, and their habits so amusing, that I 
almost fancied myself in the region of the Gallipagos Archipelago, or the Falkland 
Islands, where the extreme tameness and stupidity of the birds are so amusingly 
and interestingly described by Darwin. Preparation for the object and time would 
have enabled us to have captured any number. My object, however, being a 
fishing expedition, and the cutter I had with me superintending canoes, engaged 
off the island in an experimental trip, I could only remain a short time. From my 
notes the following brief observations are taken :—Along the line of rocks which 
margined the base of the island, the cormorants, both Phalacrocorax carbo and 
P. graculus, were in gangs, perched motionless on the rocks, and most with 
expanded wings, in the act of drying them after their morning’s fishing. The 
ledges of the rocks presented tiers of birds, in singular array, old and young, beside 
their nests. The kittiwakes (Larus tridactylus) seemed to occupy the lowest 
ledges, higher up were observed the greater and lesser black-backed gulls (L. 
marinus and L. fuscus), and above them and to the highest summits, L. canus and 
L. argentatus. About midway up the cliffs a very beautiful white gull with dark 
legs was pointed out to me by one of the men, and which bore a strong resemblance 
to the ivory gull (Larus eburneus). Being an expert climber he succeeded in 
reaching near to the nest, and, stretching with his foot, kicked down several, but 
they, unfortunately, fell beyond our reach. Immature birds of this species and of 
the glaucous gull (L. glaucus) have been obtained along the west coast. The innu¬ 
merable numbers of guillemots, razor-bills, and puffins congregated on all the 
ledges led me strongly to suspect that the species Uria Brunnichii and U. lacrymans 
were both frequent there. The difficulty, however, of picking up those that were 
shot, and of grasping those around us, as we were obliged to hold on with one hand 
to prevent falling with the detached portions of rock, or being capsized by a sudden 
squall, marred any successful captures. The young of the razor-bill (Alca torda), 
called Crossacaun, from the white mark on the bill, are delicious when skinned and 
broiled, and their eggs are good. 
It is singular that the fox has been seen on the island. Ravens and the sea 
eagle (Fiolar na Mara) build on the highest cliffs, and a splendid race of hawks, of 
noble size, the Falco peregrinus, breed there. These are termed Foraidheach— 
fierce or cruel. I obtained a very fine female bird from that island. The eggs are 
similar in colour and shape to the kestrel, but of larger size ; like the eagle, it lays 
but two eggs ; the kestrel has four. These rocks and those of the Western Island 
abound in fine lichens. Roccella fusiformis, with Borrera flavicans and B. atlantica, 
were fine. Ramalina scopulorum grew in very long pendant tufts, and Parmelia 
aquila I found in beautiful fructification. Lichena pygmsea was abundant near 
the water’s edge, and I found it equally so with L. confinis on the highest point of 
Sybil Head. I have never seen anywhere Plantago coronopus growing of such 
extraordinary size—the radical leaves long, spreading, and almost succulent. The 
herdsmen of the West Island inform me that the sheep were extremely fond of the 
plant. Seals were seen in different directions, and I fired at an enormously large 
one as he raised himself above the water. The seal was of a very dark colour, and 
not at all like Halichoerus gryphus. 
It is not the object of this paper to enter into any details of geological features ; 
but, as I have alluded to the peculiar outline of form of the Tearaght Rock, I may 
