NOTES ON THE MAIVEVIALS AND BIRDS OF ROUSAY. 63 



the old birds. In Tvinter they are fond of feeding 

 in the same damp places near the sea as do the 

 snipe. From never being disturbed they are very 

 tame. 



Greenshank (Totanus glottis). I heard one of 

 these birds one day in spring, but they do not breed 

 in Rousay. 



Curlew (Nuinenius arqnata). Common, though 

 not very numerous as a species. Neither the curlew 

 nor whimbrel breeds in Rousay, though for the for- 

 mer there are places apparently as Avell suited to 

 their habits as those parts of Sutherland where they 

 are abundant in the breeding season. Amongst a 

 party of curlews that I saw in June ^vas one of a 

 w^hite or cream colour. Except in severe ^veather 

 curlews keep mostly to the sea-shore ; but in the 

 hard weather, which, however, comes but seldom in 

 the Orkneys, the people complain that they i^robe 

 the turnips with their long bills. This, however, 

 could only be done when the root had been 

 previously broken. 



Whimbrel (Nuinemus pluvopus). Only seen on 

 two occasions ; one was on 9th August, in company 

 with some curlews, apparently on their ^vay south. 



Anseres. 

 Fam. Anatidm. 



Whooper fCi/fjnus musicus). Of not infrequent 

 occurrence, and when staying on the island nearly 

 always going to Loch Wasbister, which, being shal- 

 low and full of weeds, is just the very place for 

 them, as almost anywhere they can reach the bot- 

 tom with their long necks. One herd, after being 

 repeatedly fired at on the loch and one of their 

 number killed, never left it, and another was killed 

 the next day. 



Sheldrake (Tadorna vulpanser). Common during 

 the breeding season, leaving as soon as the young 

 are fit to go. They breed at times on the hill near 

 fresh-water lochs, and I knew of two nests i)laced 



