ISLAY, an island on the west coast of Scotland, the most southern of the Hebrides group, is situated in the county of Argyll, between 55° 30' and 55° 58' N. lat. and 6° 2' and 6° 35' W. long., 17 miles west of Cantire and 2 miles south-west of Jura. It has an area of 220 square miles, or more than 140,000 acres, and its rental is nearly £38,000. It is the richest and most productive of the group, and on that account has been called the “Queen of the Hebrides.” The surface generally is regular, the highest summits being Ben Varn (1500 feet) and Ben Ronastel (1050 feet). Islay House, the ancient seat of the Campbells of Islay, stands at the head of Loch-in-daal. The island is chiefly possessed by three proprietors :—G. Morrison, 67,000 acres; J. Ramsay of Kildalton, 54,250; and K. Finlay of Dunlossit, 17,676. Formerly it was occupied by small crofters and tacksmen, but since 1831 it has been gradually rearranged into large sheep and arable farms. About two-thirds of the sheep are blackfaced, the others being mostly Cheviots. Dairy farming is largely followed, and oats, barley, and the various green crops are raised. The chief difficulty in the way of reclamation of the land is the large extent occupied by peat, which has an area of 60 square miles, and is calcu-culated at its present rate of consumption to last 1500 years. The island has long been famous for the distillation of whisky, and at present contains seven distilleries, which produce about 400,000 gallons annually. Port Ellen, the principal village, had 974 inhabitants in 1881. While the population of Islay in 1831 was 14,992, it had decreased in 1851 to 12,334, in 1871 to 8143, and in 1881 to 7512....