28 WANDERINGS AND MEMORIES 



in time I hoped to write one. I saw his face relax- 

 ing at this, and when I had completed my argument, 

 he said — 



" Well, I must say you have made out a good case 

 for the professional naturalist, who, if he can show 

 that he is genuinely devoting his specimens to 

 science, should have a Government pass permitting 

 him to collect such birds as are absolutely necessary." 



This was great news, and it made me think; so, 

 going to my room, I drew up a document embodying 

 all we had discussed, and presented it to Sir William, 

 requesting his signature. But Sir William was 

 much too clever to be caught. 



" Not on any account," he said, " will I sign that 

 paper. I don't know what kind of a naturalist you 

 are, Johnny, but I think you would make a pretty 

 good lawyer." 



As I had already killed a pair or two of all the 

 birds that are resident in summer in the British 

 Islands, it was only on rare occasions that I found 

 it necessary to shoot a bird " out of season." At 

 any rate, I was never apprehended, although on 

 more than one occasion the minions of the law 

 both suspected and chased me. 



One lovely still evening in the spring of 1889 I 

 came into the little bay where the picturesque town 

 of Stromness stands. Jimmy Sutherland, Tom 

 Sinclair and I had been away amongst the islands 

 hunting seals and looking for Slavonian Grebes, 

 which sometimes passed on their migration to 

 Iceland. Right in the harbour itself I saw a bird 

 that I have never seen before in Orkney, a Black- 

 throated Diver. I at once got my gun out from 

 the box where I kept it in concealment, and as the 



