Scope and Contents

Birdcall which reads 'Mo dhùip mo dhùip mo dhuip!' and note about the bird 'Bhothag-mhara' [ringed plover] including its birdcall as 'Is bigidh e sid Is bigid[h] e sid'. text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

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

Fragment of a story written down by John Ewen MacRury entitled 'Am Bridein Sa'm Fheanag'. The story tells how an oyster-catcher had a nest with its young in it and a crow came and sat on a rock above it. The largest of the oyster-catcher chicks went to leave the next but its mother got hold of it. The end of the story as it is here appears to be phrases to indicate bird calls.

Scope and Contents Note about the bird 'An t-Ian Bùchain' [pin-tail duck]. Carmichael describes how the bird is plentiful on Harris [Na Hearadh] and Barra [Barraigh] and that as with other birds, tunes have been written to mimic its call. He describes its migration pattern and habits when in the Western Isles as well as its call, writing, 'Each bird is supposed to sing over and over, singly and in convert:– “Clann-ac anndaidh, Clann-ac-anndaidh” There was a tribe of people in Bearnary [Beàrnaraigh/Bernaray]...

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 'cathag' [chough] that it has 'gob dearg + da chas dearg' [a red beak and two red legs] and that there are few about the shores [on Ìle/ Islay]. Also noted is that it has a '"Meag" voice'.

Scope and Contents

Note about the cuckoo collected from John MacAulay from Gearrloch [Geàrrloch/Gairloch, Ros is Cromba/Ross and Cromarty] but living in Edinburgh [Dùn Èideann which reads 'Lacharan = Iain na Cuthaig - as jackal is to [bear] As she says gugug = he says Tach! tach! tach! tach!' Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Children's poem beginning 'Big big bigeachan, Co chreach mo neadachan' meant to imitate birdsong. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere.

Scope and Contents

Rhyme about bird calls including the call of the smeòrach or thrush and the call of the lon-dubh or blackbird.

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Ian Bùchain' noted as being collected from Captain Malcolm MacLeod, Lochmaddy [Loch nam Madadh, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] and others beginning 'Na h-eoin bhùchain thig o'n bhòchain, Dh'eubhas gu binn, Bhòchain bhuth'. The song, transcribed in ink, is followed by an incomplete note in pencil which states that 'Bùchain' is the old name for May and therefore An t-Ian Bhùchain is the Mayfowl. In the margin, in a different ink, a note reads 'The Ian Bochain comes in spring ans...