Scope and Contents

Note probably collected from Donald Currie, crofter, Ìle/Islay about the bird 'Bru deargan' [Bru-dearg or robin redbreast] that it is not seen on the island until the end of the autumn and that his daughter found one in a hedge the previous year [1876]. He notes his call as being 'Hing "hingadale", Drig drig "hingadale"'. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents Note about the bird 'drollan' [petrel] and its connection with fishermen, containing a legend that the bird flew so high it caught the tail-feather of an eagle and boasted about it; that the sound they make is as loud as a bee hive and stating that a flock of petrels are 'alms' to fishermen. The birds are described as tearing out sticks and straws from their nests and moving them 50 feet up, carrying the young and the eggs. Fishermen noticed that four days after a storm the birds were still...

Scope and Contents

Note about the bird 'Fara-chrodaichean' or 'Crotach-Bheag' [curlew], that it arrives about Bealtainn [May], stays for a month and does not breed on the island but goes to warmer climates. The crotach mor breed in the moor in Instra Níl [Ìle/ Islay, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire]. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

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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.

Scope and Contents

Note about the bird 'Glaistean-tragha' [a small bird like a finch] that it is a shore bird which only eats food from the sea or the shore and does not feed from the land. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

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Note about the bird 'guga' that it is 'black as raven'; that St Kildans bring five or six tons of guga from Stacali [Stac Lee, Hiorta/St Kilda] and then 'div[ide] them on the Leac' and that they are white for two years.

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Note about the bird 'Ian-bollach a ghort' [eun-ballach-a'-ghart or common bunting] that it nests in mid-summer in the corn and will stand on the top of a [fon-] unlike the reamhag [skylark]. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Note about the bird 'Luaireagan' and 'smeorach' [thrush] that the former is a sea bird and that the latter builds its nests on land with material from the 'burach' which 'makes it water tight'. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Note about the bird 'Stearnal' [tern] describing whether it will appear or not according to the direction of the wind and how its voice can be heard through the fog. The note also states that 'The old take young out to sea for miles & coming back - training them to long flights'. Text has been scored through in pencil perhaps to indicate it has been transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Note about the 'Dearc-luachrach' [lizard] giving birth collected from John MacAulay from Gearrloch [Geàrrloch/Gairloch, Ros is Cromba/Ross and Cromarty] but living in Edinburgh [Dùn Èideann]. MacAulay states that the lizard 'bursts in bringing forth', that he himself saw it happening and the lizard was 'clean dead...the belly burst open as if cut leng[th] wise'. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.