416 ^ggs and Birds foimd 



The Curlew {ScMopax arqudta L., Numenms arquata La- 

 tham) we did not see in any of the islands. 



The Snipe {Scolopax Gallindgo L.), we found in abundance 

 in every island, wherever there was the least moisture : and 

 their nests, in general, were placed among the long grass by 

 the side of the small lochs, and amid the long heather that 

 grows upon the sides of the hills. It is there called by the 

 name of the hoarse gowk. 



In no single instance did we see the judcock or jack snipe 

 [S. Gallinula Z.). 



The Redshank (Scolopax Calidris L., Totanus Calidris 

 Bechstein) we found but thinly scattered through the dif- 

 ferent islands here and there : a few pairs occurred wherever 

 the ground was boggy; and they are very noisy should you 

 approach their nest too near. 



The Lapwing ( Tringa Vanellus L., Vanellus cristdtus Meyer) 

 is very numerous, and known by the name of the tee-whaap. 

 It is suffered to breed unmolested; which, in fact, is the 

 case with all the other birds, as the eggs of the domestic hen 

 and tame duck are very plentiful ; and any number might 

 have been purchased, during the time that we were there, at 

 the rate of threepence per dozen ; and we were credibly in- 

 formed that 300/. worth, at this rate, were annually shipped 

 for Leith, from the islands of Westra and Papa Westra alone. 



The Dunlin {Tringa alpina L., T, variabilis Meyer). — 

 This little bird we found in abundance in almost every island, 

 associating with the snipe ; and, like the snipe's, their nests 

 were placed upon the ground, among the long grass and 

 heather, and invariably contained four eggs, which were much 

 smaller than snipe's eggs, although similar as to colour. In 

 some we found the ground colour of a light blue, inclining to 

 a dirty white : the blotches were principally at the larger end. 

 The birds appeared to sit very close, and suffered us to ap- 

 proach very near to their nests before they attempted to fly ; 

 in two instances I took them off their eggs. After they 

 have been disturbed, they make every effort to decoy you 

 away from their nests, by pretending to be lame, &c. Both 

 the male and female have a black patch upon their breasts ; 

 in the former rather darker than in the latter, otherwise we 

 could not perceive any difference between the sexes. 



The Oyster- Catcher [Hcematopus ostralegus 1^.) we found 

 but thinly scattered along the sea-coast, and making their 

 nests on the sand, among the small shingle and shells that 

 are thrown up by the sea. 



The Landrail {Gallitmla Crex Latham, Ortygometra Qrex 

 Fleming) is abundantly dispersed through every island, and 

 conceals itself amidst the young corn and rushes. This 



