BIRDS. 127 



which would almost have done for cabinet specimens, and again, 

 in 1888, we found quantities of Cormorants' eggs above the 

 cliffs at the south end of Stronsay, just freshly sucked. 



We certainly consider the Crow to be by no means the 

 abundant species one would expect in a county with such an 

 extent of sea-cliff. Of course all the islands have a pair or two, 

 but, seeing that they are systematically destroyed in two islands 

 only, the wonder is that they are not ten times more numerous. 



Corvus frugilegus, L. Rook, 



The Eook seems to have been only of doubtful occurrence in 

 Low's time. 



Messrs. Baikie and Heddle give several instances of the 

 occurrence of this species, either as single birds or in flocks, 

 and say that in autumn 1846 a small flock took up its residence 

 for a few weeks in the plantation at Papdale, near Kirkwall. 

 They, however, do not record it as a breeding species up to 

 1848. Now, however, they are plentiful, breeding in the trees 

 round the Bishop's Palace in Kirkwall, and Mr. Moodie- 

 Heddle informs us they do so at Melsetter and elsewhere. We 

 have occasionally seen them in Eousay. 



Mr. Salmon says [1831] that the Crow (? Carrion) and Eook 

 are never seen on any of the islands. 



Mr. Eanken says : " Used to be only an occasional visitor 

 to Orkney, and was looked upon as a rare bird. Now, there are 

 large flocks to be seen about Kirkwall. I have seen forty or 

 fifty nests in the garden at one time, which I have pulled down, 

 as I find their appearance banishes the small birds from it ; and 

 I find that the Eook does not scruple to feed its young with the 

 nestlings of small birds. A pair of Eooks built their nest inside 

 a chimney-can, last summer, 1 in a house opposite this one. The 

 heads of the young birds protruded above the can when ap- 

 proaching maturity. Several other pairs built outside the foot 

 of the chimney-cans. The farmers in Orkney have a decided 



1 For an instance of this in Caithness, vide Vertebrate Fauna of Sutherland, 

 Caithness, and West Cromarty, p. 150. D. Douglas, 1887. 



