Scope and Contents Field notebook belonging to Alexander Carmichael probably while he lived at 31, Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, as this address is written in ink on the first folio. Written on the inside front cover but heavily scored is text which reads 'Mrs Malcolm MacLeod, [- Islay], widow of Mal[colm] MacLeod [Loch-]. The majority of the notebook contains material collected from Donald Currie, crofter, Ìle/ Islay relating folklore and natural history about the birds, fish, shellfish and animals found in and...

Scope and Contents

Note about a turbot or sturgeon '3 or 4 f[ee]t long 2 1/2 broad no name' caught at Port na h-Abhainne/PortnahavenÌle/Islay.

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Note about place-names on Ìle/Islay probably collected from Donald Currie, crofter, Baile Meadhanach/Ballymeanach, which reads 'Airdbheala, Port Bheala or speala. W[est] of P[or]tnahaven Isla Cala.'

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Note about the bird 'glaisean' [moss [chirper]] describing its nesting habits including that it has been found 'in P[ort] na haven in turf dyk[e]s asleep in winter with two or three ribeagan fiar geal na bheul [blades of grass] across to keep his bill open to breath[e] like polar bear with his paw in his mouth'. [Port na h-Abhainne/Portnahaven, Ìle/ Islay]. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

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Note about the etymology of Aird-bheala which reads 'Aird-bheala or Aird-dheala west of Port-na-Haven Islay. Probably a corruption of Aird na h-Eala' [Àirdbheala, Port na h-Abhainne/Portnahaven, Ìle].

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Note about the fish 'ugsa' [coalfish] probably collected from Donald Currie, crofter, Ìle/Islay, which reads 'A man at P[ort] na haven could see an ugsa breaki[n]g a mile. He saw the gull could see the ugsa break[in]g 3 miles off'. [Port na h-Abhainne/Portnahaven] Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.