VIU ADVERTISEMENT. 



In 1775, he married Miss Helen Tyrie, only daughter of the Rev. James 

 Tyeie, minister of Stromness and Sandwick. The death of this Lady (which 

 happened in child-bed, the year after the marriage) deeply affected Mr Low, and 

 it is believed he found consolation chiefly in that devotion to the pursuits of Na- 

 tural History for which he was remarkable. During the last nineteen years of 

 his life he continued to labour in the study of Nature, and his success was cer- 

 tainly creditable, considernig the many disadvantageous circumstances against 

 which, in his remote situation, he had to strive. 



Sir Joseph Banks, with his wonted discrimination and zeal for the promotion 

 of science, took an opportunity of introducing Mr Low' to the acquaintance of the 

 celebrated Mr Pennant. By Mr Pennant's encouragement, chiefly, Mr Low 

 engaged to draw up both a Fauna Orcadensis and a Flora Orcadensis. The 

 former is now presented to the public : the latter has entirely disappeared. He 

 likewise prepared for the press " A Tour through the Islands of Orkney and Shet- 

 land, containing Hints relating to their Ancient, Modern, and Natural History." 

 He likewise undertook and executed a translation of Torfaeus's History of Orkney. 

 Mr Low died in 1795. 



The principal part of his MSS. including the Fauna, the Tour, and Transla- 

 tion of Torfseus, together with his Zoological Collections, (in which was a speci- 

 men of AsTERiAS Caput Medusa, taken in the Orkney Seas, and now in the 

 Editor's possession), fell into the hands of the late eminent antiquary, Mr George 

 Paton of Edinburgh, at whose sale, after his death, they were purchased by dift'e- 

 rent individuals. 



The Editor cannot conclude this advertisement without acknowledging the libe- 

 rality of the Booksellers, in readily undertaking to publish this Orkney Fauna, in 

 a form and style calculated to do credit to the unfortunate Author. 



WILLIAM ELFORD LEACH. 



Edinburgh, May 14, 1812. 



