INTRODUCTORY. XXlll 



There was however a Museum in Kirkwall in former days, that 

 must at one time have possessed a good many interesting birds, as 

 will appear from what is mentioned in the body of the work. 

 Like so many other local museums, though started with much 

 vigour, this soon languished, partly perhaps because there was 

 not a sufficient number of people keenly alive to its interest, and 

 certainly it was starved from want of funds, as will be seen from 

 the extract we give from one of Mr. Eeid's letters, that gentleman 

 having been instrumental in starting the thing, and keeping it 

 going as long as he could. None of the specimens that the Museum 

 contained can now be traced ; probably not many are in existence. 



" I forgot if I ever told you that in 1846, Baikie and Heddle, 

 with myself, moved in forming an Antiquarian and Natural History 

 Society, when all the best people in the islands willingly supported 

 the movement. I had, at that early date, commenced collecting 

 some of the rarer and (more) brilliant birds that came in my way. 

 These I presented to the museum (of) which I became secretary, 

 treasurer, and custodian. I gave a room in my own house, and the 

 Society nourished, being well supported at that time. After a year 

 or so I got married, and soon required the room which was occupied 

 as the museum, and the latter was removed to a larger long loft in 

 Broad Street, where we got a working tailor to keep it, sewing 

 at his work when he could. Well ! Baikie and Heddle left the 

 country, and I found difficulties in meeting the expense, and gave 

 up managing the Society, (which), after lingering on for a short time, 

 and the rent of the room not having been paid for two years, broke 

 up, and the whole collection was sold by public roup. During my time 

 of it, I got a great number of birds, from the eagle to the wren. I 

 do not remember having got any specimens of very great rarity." 



Mr. W. Eeid, who has so often contributed to us various 

 notes on natural history, was born in Wick, but went to Kirkwall 

 in 1836, he being then twenty-two years of age, and remained there 

 thirty years, where he was in business as bookseller and stationer. 

 Mr. Eeid then returned to Wick, and ultimately settled down at 

 Nairn at the age of seventy. 



Our list of mammals includes twenty-nine species. As might 

 be imagined from the nature of the country, we are indebted very 



