16 THE NORTH ISLES. 



west side of the island the shore section plainly shows the con- 

 formable passage of the flagstone into the outlying arenaceous 

 series, and, on the eastern shores especially, can be plainly seen 

 the inter-stratification of the flagstone, with bands of laminated 

 sandstone. About half a mile from the entrance to Calf Sound, 

 approaching from the south-east, an interesting fault may be 

 observed: the flags forming a low arch on which the coarser- 

 grained sandstone rests, and again, a little to the north of the point 

 of Veness, the flagstone is even more abruptly terminated, bring- 

 ing down the overlying sandstone to the west. Few fossil remains 

 are found in Eday. 



" The sandstone strata form prominent hills both in the northern 

 and southern portions of the island, the beds of which are either 

 extremely coarse-grained or frequently conglomerate in their 

 character. The centre of the island being low, and only a few 

 feet above high-water mark, there is some risk of its being cut in 

 two in the course of time by the encroachment of the sea acting on 

 the sandy soil on both sides. The sandstones of Eday are remark- 

 able in very closely resembling the upper old red sandstone as 

 seen in Hoy, but it is generally accepted at the present day that 

 they form part of the flagstone series, and therefore belong to a 

 more ancient period. 



" The greater portion of Eday and the whole of the Calf are 

 occupied by these sandstones, which rise at the Ked Head in the 

 northern extremity to a height of 210 feet, forming that bold and 

 precipitous headland and well-defined landmark. The cliffs on the 

 north-eastern exposure of the Calf, though not so high as the Eed 

 Head, are much indented by the action of the sea, and are called 

 the Grey Head. These headlands, with their remarkable colouring, 

 are very fine and picturesque, especially when viewed from the 

 sea, and are quite the finest rock scenery in the North Isles. 

 About half a mile south from Carrick there is a solitary standing- 

 stone, which, seen from Carrick Bay, looks not unlike a schooner 

 ' running free ' in the distance. There are three lochs in the 

 northern portion of Eday, two of which are quite shallow though 

 of considerable extent, and being innocent of fish, except perhaps a 



