168 BIRDS. 



the same place, and shot them all with an ordinary 12-bore 

 gun. 



On another occasion, in Feb. 1887, Mr. Irvine-Fortescue saw 

 three fly across the loch of Harray, coming from the east, and 

 settle in a field. He fired a long shot at them, and one was seen 

 for some time afterwards in the neighbourhood of the loch of 

 Stenness. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle informs us that a Bernacle Goose was 

 killed at Melsetter in 1857, and he himself shot another there 

 in 1872. 



Bernicla canadensis (.). Canada Goose. 



Mr. M. S. Graeme, y r of Graemeshall, told Mr. Irvine-Fortescue 

 that he saw three Canada Geese on the loch of Graemeshall 

 in May 1883. 



Cygnus olor (Gmel.)< Mute Swan. 



Kept in a semi-domesticated state in two places, one being on 

 Loch Saviskail, in Rousay, the other on Loch Skaill in the west 

 of the Mainland. 



Cygnus musicus, Bechst. Hooper, 



Fea, writing in 1775, says : " Here also are several small holms (in 

 Loch Stenness) where Swans were formerly in use to build with 

 several other kinds of fowls ; but to the eternal disgrace of some 

 of our people, the eggs of the Swans were meanly taken away, 

 and, as is alleged, basely sold to the southward for hatching for 

 gentlemen's ponds. Thus that royal bird deserted the country." 

 The author is clearly of opinion that such thieves were liable 

 to a prosecution at the instance of his Majesty for thus trespassing 

 on his prerogative ; for the Swan is protected by royal authority, 

 and it is no less than felony to steal or kill one of them (vide 

 pp. 40, 41). 



Speaking of the migration of geese and swans, Fea gives 

 the following very interesting note. At p. 50 he says : " It is also 

 remarked that the Swans and Wild Geese assemble with us in 

 great numbers in the spring, when they are going to take their 



