THE NORTH ISLES. 13 



nearly dry on this occasion, and the adjoining marshy ground, and 

 the land immediately adjacent to the shore, the whole island is cul- 

 tivated. The marshes were full of bird-life Sheldrakes, Wild 

 Ducks, Coots, Peewits, Dunlins, and Terns, being everywhere pre- 

 sent ; all the terns we could identify were Arctic. We picked up 

 the wings of a Purple Sandpiper, and a Pintail drake, neither of 

 which are considered common birds there. 



The highest part of the island lies to the south-west, and here 

 the rocks, though by no means lofty, have steep, grassy slopes, 

 ending in short precipices, which afford hiding-places to a good 

 many sea-fowl, especially Black Guillemots. The lochs have the 

 same characteristics as those we described in North Konaldsay, 

 but are of greater extent ; Coots are very common on them. 



Sanday has long held the position of giving more rare birds to 

 the Orkney fauna than any other island perhaps in the group. 

 A reference to Messrs. Baikie and Heddle's book will show this, 

 and how the ornithology of the islands is indebted to the exertions 

 and accurate observations of the late Mr. Strang of Lopness. Mr. 

 Harvey, who succeeded that gentleman to the same farm, seems 

 also to be possessed of the same tastes, and has added one or two 

 more birds to the list, notably the Nutcracker. 



Mr. Denison of Brough has a very interesting collection of birds, 

 mostly taken on the island, which he was kind enough to show us, 

 and from whom we got one or two interesting facts. 



STKONSAY. 



This island is much more interesting to the agriculturalist than 

 the ornithologist, nearly the whole of it being devoted to cultiva- 

 tion, with the exception of one considerable stretch of ground in 

 the south-east. This part of the island, which is called Koithis- 

 holm (pronounced Eousholm), we explored, but unsuccessfully, in 

 search of Whimbrels. The centre of this area is covered with 

 stunted heather, and contains a certain amount of peat ; the rest is 

 covered with grass, which gives good grazing for sheep. From the 

 narrow neck between St. Catherine's Bay and the Bay of Holland 

 the land rises gradually, and terminates at Koithisholm Head in 



