Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

FLANNAN ISLANDS. 199
armin, forms a picturesque and striking group, far eclips-
ing St. Kilda in the landscape, and rendering it visible
from afar, by their more elevated and decided characters.
The former contained a hermitage in Martin's time, and
is used for feeding sheep, of which it now contains 400.
It is equal!}' a haunt of the gannets. The number of these
birds which resort to this group of islands is almost in-
credible. On the preceding evening I had watched
many hours in vain for some end to their long lines, which
were streaming from all quarters along the surface of the
water, steering their course home to their beds. This is
a daily occurrence; and whatever the weather may be,
in the thickest fogs, their course is straight and unde-
viating to the mark. So certain is their flight, that boat-
men, unprovided with a compass, place implicit reliance
on them, as it is said that the Norwegians of old did on
their ravens. There is something very mysterious in
this property ;
possessed, not only by the migratory birds,
but notedly by dogs, horses, and other animals, as well
as by King Jamie's cow, Crummie. Doubtless, you
have seen the Shetland horses find their unerring way
home in fogs, like these birds ; even from places which
they had not previously known, and though compelled
by the nature of the ground to make long circuits. We
must look to Dr. Gall for the explanation of this. I did
not, however, examine their organ of geography; but
had occasion to admire the beautiful provision made by
nature to prevent them from being killed by the stroke
of the water when they fall down from aloft on their prey.
The skin is so nearly independent of the breast as to be
restrained only by a few slight filaments ;
and the inter-
val being inflated with air, they fall with impunity,
sinking to a depth of many feet, as you must often have
seen. It is imagined by the fishermen that they fly out