10 THE NORTH ISLES. 



Gulls we have ever seen. There seemed to be thousands of them, 

 as they rose screaming at our approach; but, even if we had been 

 so minded, it would not have been easy to get to the nests, as 

 the ground was very boggy. 



The whole island is surrounded by a dyke to keep the native 

 sheep, which are here more abundant than in any other island, out 

 of the interior, the most of which is under cultivation. 



Kelp-making is here conducted on a rather more extensive scale 

 than is customary in these days. The time for burning the ware 

 commences about the middle of May, and thereafter during the fine 

 days of summer the smoke arising from the furnaces is quite a 

 characteristic feature of the place. 



In the New Statistical Account it is reported that after a north- 

 east gale many strange birds are occasionally found here, such as 

 the Goatsucker, Golden-crested Wren, Cuckoo, and Snowy Owl. 



Lying almost due north of the island, and only a few hundred 

 yards from it, is the Seal Skerry, the resort of the Great Grey Seal, 

 and of Cormorants, which here nest in some numbers. The Skerry 

 is nearly divided by a geo which runs north and south, and in 

 which there is a very considerable depth of water. Harvie-Browii 

 landed on the Skerry on July 2d, 1889, and after looking at and 

 determining the species of Seals, he went to visit the cormoranty, 

 of which due mention is made later on. 



This is the only regular breeding-place known to us of the Grey 

 Seal in the islands, and it is remarkable on that account alone. 



SANDAY. 



The island of Sanday lies to the north-east of the Mainland of 

 Orkney. It is bounded on the north by N. Konaldsay and its 

 firth, on the east by the North Sea, on the south by Sanday 

 Sound and Stronsay, and on the west by Eday and the North 

 Sound. The greatest length of the island is twelve miles from 

 north-east to south-west, and its breadth varies from half a mile 

 to two miles, its whole surface containing about 12,000 acres, 



