The Dog:] OF ORKNEY. 13 



and land spaniels, for fowling, and curs for giving warning by 

 barking ; but the most common are the shepherd's dog, and 

 mongrels from it, called in general collys, or sheep-dogs. 

 These are trained up to a sport, which, (says Mr Wallace) is 

 " both strange and delectable," namely, hunting of sheep. 

 The master of the dog has him in his arms, and points out the 

 sheep, which he very nimbly seizes from all the flock, and, 

 without much hurt, detains it till released by his master*. 

 This custom had its inconveniencies, and oft times it hap- 

 pened, as it does still, that the dog which could seize a sheep 

 for his master, could do the same for himself To prevent 

 this, in the country acts, it was statute -f- : " That nae man 

 " shall keep running dogis, that runs frae house to house, 

 " or through the country, cheasing their neighbours sheip ;" 

 and this under the highest penalties. 



Foxes or wolves, I dare say, never had a footing in Ork- 

 ney. 



'% 



GENUS VIL— THE OTTER. 



Loutra. The Otter, Rail Sj/n. Quad. 187 Sib. Scot. 10. Mustela Lutra, 

 Lyn. Sys. 66. Brit. Zool. 67. Pen. Syn. 238. 



Otters are found very frequent in these islands, burrow- 

 ins: in the banks of the sea, as well as those of the fresh-wa- 



* See the article Sheep. t Country Acts, MS. 



