Cuillin He partnered Louis Agassiz on his trip to Scotland in 1840 and although they subsequently argued, Forbes went on to publish other important papers on Alpine glaciers. In 1904 Alfred Harker published "The Tertiary Igneous Rocks of Skye", the first detailed scientific study of an extinct volcano. The Cuillin encompasses a wide range of habitats, changing with altitude. At the base there are conifer plantations, coastal woodlands and areas of heather moorland and rough grassland. The lower slopes are covered by various different types of bog, with grassland on the better-drained slopes that are found above 400 m. Higher up,
Cuillin one of 40 such areas in Scotland. A Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) review of the special qualities of the national scenic area stated: There are a number of theories about the derivation of the name "Cuillin". It is often suggested that it comes from the Old Norse word "kjölen" meaning ridges. This derivation gave rise to debate as to whether the hills should be referred to collectively as the Cuillin, rather than Cuillins. "Kjöllen" may also refer to the keel of a boat, suggesting a similarity with an upturned Viking longship. Gaelic derivations of the name suggest a link to