1 905-1906.] A Trip io the Island of Hoy. 285 



Eagles have long since deserted Hoy as a nesting-place, 

 though it is on record that they used to breed both on the 

 Kame Eock and on the breast of the " Old Man." Half a 

 dozen years ago, however, I introduced seventeen mountain 

 hares from Perthshire to Hoy. Being very prolific, the hares 

 soon increased to considerable numbers, when a pair of eagles 

 made their appearance and again nested on the Kame Eock. 

 Whether it was owing to the scarcity of food or on account of 

 their persecution by the farmers for the protection of their 

 lambs, that caused the eagles to forsake their breeding-haunts, 

 it is impossible to say. The fact remains, however, that with 

 the increase of mountain hares, a pair of eagles, as already 

 mentioned, returned and bred on the Kame Eock. 



How vultures discover their prey has long been a contro- 

 verted question among naturalists, and by what mysterious 

 agency birds are guided to where food-supplies are abundant 

 passes the wit of man to understand. The vole plague on 

 the Border pasture-lands some years ago affords a familiar 

 illustration. Short-eared owls, it may be remembered, then 

 came upon the scene in hundreds, and nested among the 

 heather in the vole-infested districts. With the disappearance 

 of the voles, the owls, as is well known, also took their 

 departure. 



In conclusion, our trip to Hoy was voted a great success. 

 The people whom we met were most kind and affable ; the 

 scenery was both grand and picturesque, with a mingling 

 of the weird and awe-inspiring ; while the natural history, 

 especially the bird -life, was extremely interesting. When, 

 joined to all this, there were the invigorating sea-breezes, and 

 the free open-air life, with its constant changes and varied 

 delights, enough has been said to recommend to any in 

 search of a holiday resort this island of the Orcadian 

 Archipelago. 



