NOTES ON THE MAMMALS AND BIRDS OF ROUSAY. 55 



In the garden they are very fond of building in the 

 elder trees. I have often found eggs lying under 

 the nests broken, as if throv% n out by accident. 



Starling (Stiirnus vuhjaris). A most character- 

 istic Orkney bird, being abundant and resident 

 everywhere. Any hole, but esiDecially the loose 

 stone-dykes of the country, afford this bird a 

 nesting-place, and they seem to rear two broods in 

 the season. Yery shortly after leaving the nest the 

 young bird begins to throw out the spotted feathers 

 of autumn, though how soon the entire ' change is 

 effected I do not know. Quantities roosted in the 

 Westness garden, and they seemed to choose the 

 leafiest trees as long as the leaves remained. They 

 never seemed to go straight to their roosting ground 

 (except the very late arrivals), ahvays first sitting 

 on the trees nearest the walls, and then singing 

 their evening hymn, one detachment after another 

 doing the same thing. They are wonderful mimics. 



I have seen albino varieties on one or two occasions. 



Fam. Corvidcv. 



Raven (Corvus Corax). There are only about two 

 nesting-places in the Island of Rousay, one of which is 

 inaccessible. They were by no means very numerous 

 here, except in the early autumn, when a good many 

 came to feed on a defunct cow not far from the 

 house. 



Hooded Crow (Corvus comix). By no means 

 uncommon. Very destructive to the sea-birds' eggs, 

 carrying off quantities of Kittiwakes' and Guillemots* 

 eggs and eating them immediately above the owners' 

 dwellings. 



Rook (Corvus frugilegus). There is a rookery in 

 Kirkwall in the grounds of the Earl's palace, and 

 Rooks were observed at Westness on one occasion. 



Fam. Hirundinidce. 

 Swallow (Hirundo rustica). One misty day in 

 summer four Swallows were seen flying about near 



