158 AXXALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



on the 231x1 Oct. (see "Annals" for April 1894, p. 83). 

 Sept. 5. Cold, dry day ; wind north. Saw a Martin and a 

 Sand Martin together hawking for insects over the Mill Loch. 

 A Song Thrush (Tnrdus musicus], and a small Warbler I 

 could not make out, in the garden to-night. Sept. 7. Dry 

 day ; wind N.E. Several small birds in garden ; two Garden 

 Warblers, one Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilld) immature, 

 several Willow Warblers, and a single Whitethroat {Sylvia 

 cinerea} the last mentioned rather a rare bird here in my 

 estimation, and in Messrs. Harvie-Brown and Buckley's 

 " Fauna of the Orkney Islands " they give nothing but the 

 statement by Morris of the bird shot on Sanday by the late 

 Mr. Strang. This season the Whitethroat has been, com- 

 paratively speaking, common here during the latter part of 

 our stay, from 7th Sept. to iQth Sept., two and three being 

 seen at times together. While Snipe shooting this afternoon 

 in the Mill Loch, along with Mr. Traill, we disturbed a bird 

 from the edge of the loch, which, as it flew straight from me, 

 I at first took to be a White Owl ; Traill, who saw it sideways, 

 shouted out that it was an Egret. The bird settled in a patch 

 of rushes across the loch. We followed it up, keeping slightly 

 apart. It rose to me, a cross shot, but wild, and the bird 

 dropped to shot apparently dead. Next instant it was up 

 again, and flew to the far end of the loch, to all appearance 

 not much the worse for the shot, alighting this time close to 

 a dry-stone dyke. My brother-in-law remained in the loch 

 hidden among the reeds, and I, after a very long roundabout 

 stalk, came up to the back of the dyke. The bird rose within 

 20 yards, and I did not fail to secure him ; he proved to be 

 a Squacco Heron (Ardea ralloidcs], an old male in almost 

 perfect plumage. This certainly is an addition to the Orkney 

 fauna, and a rare bird for Scotland ; Yarrell, fourth edition, 

 recording only two examples as having been taken in the 

 country within the last forty years or so. Sept. 8. Dry, 

 cold day ; wind E.S.E. Shot the first Wigeon (Mareca 

 penelopc] of the season on Gretchen Loch, a single bird, an 

 old female. A Whitethroat, a Redstart, and a Willow 

 Warbler in garden. Sept. 9. Day cold and dry ; wind 

 from the E. or N.E. Shot an immature Blackcap ; it was 

 along with a dozen or so Rock Pipits. Got two Jack Snipe 



