endeavouring to decoy us away, by pretending to be lame, and tumbling about as if her wing were broken; and it was this circumstance that led us to look more attentively. It is very amusing to see this bird chasing the kittiwake, which it compels to disgorge its food, and before this food reaches the water or land, the arctic gull catches it. This appears to be the only means of subsistence with the arctic gulls, as we never observed them fishing, like the rest of the gulls. The provincial name is scouticurlin.

The Shearwater (Procellària Puffìnus L., Puffinus Anglòrum Ray). — This is not near so numerous as most of the other aquatic birds; and it was with very great difficulty that we obtained its egg, as it generally selects the most inaccessible part of the rock, and burrows a hole between the fissures wherever there is any soft earth, and there deposits its single egg, which is of a glossy white, about the size of that of the domestic hen, but more pointed at the smaller end. It is there called by the name of the syre.

The Puffin (Alca árctica). We found this beautiful bird very numerous, and associating with all the different rock birds; it is known by the name of the Tammy Norie. Like the shearwater, it makes a hole in the soft stratum between the fissures of the rocks that overhang the sea, and, like that bird, deposits its single egg upon the bare ground, without any nest. The ground colour of the egg is white, and invariably speckled with light reddish spots.

The Red-breasted Merganser (Mérgus serrator L.).—We saw several male birds in the Loch of Stennis; but could not discover a single female, and suppose that they must have taken their young away, as we were assured that they annually breed upon the small holms in the loch, and upon the shore. I have since seen some eggs that were taken hence by your correspondent Mr. Drosier [see his Ornithological Visit to Shetland and the Orkneys, in Vol. III. p. 321-326., and Vol. IV. p. 193-199.]; and they are of a fawn colour, about the size of those of

The Wild Duck (Anas Bóschas L.), which is also very plentiful.

The Smew (Mergus albéllus L.). We found a nest which, we are inclined to think, belongs to this species, in the Island of Sanda, close alongside a small loch in the parish of Binness. We put the female off her nest. After flying round two or three times, she alighted in the loch; and although we could not get near enough to shoot her, yet we could distinctly perceive, by the formation of her bill, that she corresponded with that figured by Bewick, under the name of

the Lough Diver. The nest contained eleven eggs, rather larger than those of the teal, but very similar as to shape and colour. The nest was made of moss, and lined with feathers and down, and placed amid the long grass. I wish we had been fortunate enough to secure her, which would have cleared up all doubts.

The Eider Duck (A`nas mollissima L., Somatèria mollíssima Fleming).—We found specimens of this species breeding upon a small holm, near Papa Westra, among the loose rocks: they made no effort to get away, suffering us to approach within a few yards before they offered to leave their nests; and in one instance I took one from off her eggs. They lay from four to five eggs, which are very smooth, of a pale olive colour, and very pointed at the smaller end. The nest is lined with down, but not in such abundance as we were led to expect. The individuals of this species are not very numerous; and are known by the name of the dunte goose.

The Sheldrake (A`nas Tadórna Gmelin, Tadórna Vulpánser Ray) is tolerably numerous; and breeds in the rabbit holes in the Island of Sanda. The provincial name is the sly goose.

The Cormorant (Pelecanus Cárbo L., Cárbo Cormoranus Meyer) and Shag (P. Gráculus L., Phalacrocorax Gráculus Cuvier) we found very numerous, building their nests, which are principally composed of withered sea-weed and sticks, upon the projecting shelves of the rocks that overhang the sea. These contain from three to four eggs, of a bluish white, irregularly coated with a thick chalky substance. The eggs of the cormorant are a trifle larger than those of the shag; with this exception we could not perceive any difference. Both of them are much smaller than those of the domestic hen in circumference, but of the same length, or rather longer.

LAND BIRDS.

We did not notice any great variety of land birds. The following are those that came under our immediate observation:

The Golden Eagle (Falco Chrysaetos L., A'quila Chrysaetos Vigors) and Sea Eagle (Falco Ossifragus L., Haliæ`etus Albicilla Savigny) are the only eagles that we saw. Both of them have their eyries in the Islands of Hoy and Eday. We were too late to obtain their eggs. Both of them lay from two to three; and these scarcely exhibit any difference as to size: they being not quite so large as those of the goose, but much rounder. This information we had from a man who has taken their nests for several years; and he said that he never knew them to lay a second time, should their eggs be taken

away. This spring (1831) he took three eaglets from the nest of the golden eagle, and one of them was living at Stromness when we were there.

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus Aldrov.).—These are very sparingly dispersed through the different islands, and resort to the most inaccessible rocks for the purpose of incubation; and, wherever there is any considerable number of rock birds, there you are sure to see a pair of these birds. We noticed a pair at the Island of Copenshay, and another pair in the Island of Hoy. We were not fortunate enough to procure any of their eggs. A boy brought us three eggs, which were perfectly round, marked with large red blotches, and rather longer than those of the kestrel (Falco Tinnúnculus L.). The nest was taken from the crags, and was built of heather. We at present do not know to what species to attribute them, never having seen any like them before.

The Raven (Córvus Còrax L.) is very plentiful through the different islands. On the 9th of June, as we were leaving the Bay of Kirkwall, for one of the other islands, we counted twenty four of these birds, as they passed over our heads, flying toward the North Isles; they were very near to each other, and followed in the same way as we should expect to see rooks do in leaving their rookery. We again observed them (supposed to be the same) on the 15th, in the evening, flying towards the Island of Hoy, or the South Isles, and we counted twenty-six. I believe this is rather an unusual occurrence, never before having seen more than a pair or two together. We could not be mistaken, as the rook (Corvus frugilegus L.) and crow (Córvus Coròne L.) are never seen upon those islands.

The Hooded Crow (Córvus Córnix L.) we found in tolerable plenty; not associating together in communities, but, like the crow (Corvus Coròne L.), preferring to build their nests separately. These are placed among the rocks, and upon the sides of the deep chasms that are to be found upon the sides of the hills; generally upon the ledge of a rock, among the overhanging heather. The outside of the nest is composed of withered heather, and large roots or stalks, and it is lined with wool and hair. In one nest that we looked into, we found three young ones, and they were almost in full pluniage, which had precisely the same colours as that of their parents. The usual number of eggs that this species lays is from four to five, and these are much lighter, and a trifle larger, than those of the crow.

The Starling (Stúrnus vulgàris L.).— We observed this perched upon every slight eminence, building its nest in the

crevices of the stone walls raised to partition the different fields; and, in a few instances, we found them breeding among the loose rocks or stones that lay scattered upon the sea shore.

The Mountain Linnet (Fringilla móntium Gmelin, Linària montana Ray). — This was the only species of linnet that we saw; and, in two nests that came under our observation, one was placed upon the ground, among the young corn, the other amidst some whins [U`lex]. They were both alike: their outsides were composed of small roots, and dried grass; and their insides lined with a small quantity of hair and a few feathers; and each contained six eggs, similar in appearance to those of the grey linnet (Fringilla Linòta Gmelin, Linària Linòta Cuvier), but rather smaller.

The Skylark (Alauda arvensis L.), Rocklark (A'nthus rupestris Nilsson), and Titlark (A'nthus pratensis Bechstein). — We found all three of these equally numerous. The latter is known by the name of the grey teeting.

The Wheatear (Saxicola Enanthe Bechstein).-This is very numerous, and called by the name of the chack. Like the starling, it builds its nests in the crevices of the stone walls, and very often in the rabbit burrows; and lays from five to six light blue eggs, similar to those of the redstart (Sylvia Phoenicurus Latham).

The Sand Martin (Hirundo ripària L.).—This was the only species that we saw; and a few pairs of them were skimming over a small loch, in the Island of Sanda.

The Wild Pigeon (Columba Enas L.). This we found very numerous, breeding in the crevices of the rocks. The nests are placed at such a depth that it is impossible to reach them.

The Red Grouse, or Moorfowl (Lagopus scóticus Latham). -This is the only species of grouse to be found in any of the islands, and it is tolerably plentiful. The birds of this species make little or no nest (which is placed under the long heather), and lay from ten to eleven eggs, beautifully spotted with black or brown, the ground colour being of a light reddish colour. The birds appear to sit very close, as we took a female off her eggs.

The Golden Plover (Charadrius pluvialis L.). This bird we found abundantly distributed over the different islands, preferring the high hills that are covered with heather. They make little or no nest, selecting a tuft of heather, where they deposit their four eggs, the ground colour of which is of a light reddish colour, spotted with black. Both male and female have a black patch upon the breast. It is much

brighter in the male; and at the same time it is extended quite up the throat, which is not the case with the female.

The Ring Dottrel (Charàdrius hiatícula L.) is very numerous in most of the islands; more particularly in the Island of Sanda. They had all hatched their young when we were there, which was from the 30th of May to the 21st of June.

ART. V. A few Remarks on the Nightingale and the Blackcap. By JOHN F. M. DOVASTON, Esq. A.M. Oxon., of Westfelton, near Shrewsbury.

Sir,

"Which of two maidens hath the merrier eye."

Shakspeare.

FULLY concurring with the sapient wag who says that "comparisons is odorous," I premise that I intend "no offence i' th' world" to either of these two delicate birds and most delicious melodists; nor presume to put them into competition of taste or talent, by introducing them together; for, like honest Petruchio, though a gentleman, they "go but meanapparell'd;" well aware they have other claims than their clothes give, to gentility and genius. Though the nightingale visits, to some extent, the southern parts of this county, he very rarely honours this north-western corner where I reside, here, on the borders of Wales; nor have I ever heard him beyond the first range of our hills, though very near to their southern sides. My enthusiastic friend, John Clavering Wood, Esq., some twenty years ago, annually turned out two or three pair, with the hopes they would breed, and their young return, in the vast woody dingles about the Breidden mountains; but with no success. Among my copious, but desultory and undigested, notes, I find the following, dated June 14. 1812: —

"I am told that the nightingale has not unfrequently been heard in my neighbourhood; but though, from earliest infancy, I have ever been fondly and closely attentive to these matters, I have but twice had this gratification here. The first, in some meadows called the Links, just below my house, many years ago; but I was too young duly to appreciate the transient strains, to which my ear was directed by my excellent father: and last night, on my return from Oswestry, in some low ground, called the Rod Meadows. Many mistake the woodlark for this enchanting bird; probably from the sole circum