BIRDS. 135 



one shot in August 1880, which was sent to a merchant in 

 Kirkwall. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle says that it now occurs annually at 

 Melsetter and Binscarth. He also adds, in a letter dated 

 Dec. 26th, 1887: "Cuckoos used to be very common behind 

 Melsetter, where there were some 20 acres of tall gorse in which 

 small birds bred. The rooting out of this made them pass us, 

 and for some years we heard none. The gorse is getting up 

 now again, and the Cuckoos are beginning to return." Thus 

 one was heard there on May 10th, 1890. 



In Eousay we heard the Cuckoo on only one or two occasions 

 in 1883. 



Mr. Eanken says that the Cuckoo visits Orkney now every 

 summer, and he has seen three together in Muddiesdale 

 plantation. A trustworthy informant assured him that some 

 years ago he counted seven sitting on a garden wall early one 

 summer morning. 



Mr. Monteith-Ogilvy informs us that a Cuckoo was seen in 

 Papa Westray in 1889. 



Order 2. ACCIPITRES. 



Sub-order STRIGES. 



Family STRIGIDJE. 

 Qrc.=Katogle, which is applied to all Owls. 



Strix flammea, L. Barn Owl. 



[Obs. Though mentioned by Low, Mr. Moodie-Heddle thinks 

 that gentleman must be in error, as he has never seen this bird 

 or heard of it breeding in Orkney. Certainly we saw nothing 

 of it in Rousay, where, according to Messrs. Baikie and Heddle, 

 it is said to breed. As might be expected from its distribution 

 in the neighbouring counties of Sutherland and Caithness, it is 

 a very rare bird in the north, and we have no notes of it from 

 any of our Orkney correspondents. 



In a note by the late Kobert Heddle he adds, " does not 

 breed in Orkney."] 



