BIRDS. 211 



Stromness Harbour by Mr. Robertson of that town in October 

 1884, as Mr. Millais informs us. 



Scolopax rusticola, L. Woodcock, 



The first mention of this bird as an inhabitant of Orkney seems to 

 have been made by Low in his Tour, where, at p. 51, he says, 

 speaking of Holm : " And I have heard of straying Woodcocks 

 found here, but this I cannot affirm with certainty, as I myself 

 have never* observed any of this species in Orkney." 



Dunn says that the Woodcock is occasionally seen in 

 Orkney, but only remains for a day or two. Baikie and 

 Heddle, however, mention it as remaining all the winter. 



Mr. Watt of Skaill says he has only shot one Woodcock in 

 his parish, and that the only one he ever saw it was in 

 November 1875. Mr. Watt adds that a few arrive every year 

 in the Stromness hills in October and November. 



Mr. Eanken's father, writing in 1860, has the note that he 

 shot many Woodcocks in Orkney during the last twenty years, 

 and adds that the late Mr. Heddle of Eday obtained five brace 

 there in one day. 



On March 4th, 1 887, Mr. Eanken flushed seven birds close 

 together at Canwick, Eday. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle says, under date of December 1887 : 

 "These (Woodcocks) are now more numerous, and a few 

 remain to breed in Hoy. One year, about 1873 or 4, twenty- 

 six couple were killed on the Hobbister shootings in a fort- 

 night." 



Mr. Barnett, Crown Chamberlain, informed Mr. Spence 

 that his ferrets put a Woodcock out of some whins at Quanter- 

 ness on 1st January 1877. He saw three at the same place in 

 January 1878, and one in Sanday in October of the same year. 

 On the 16th June 1879 a Woodcock with a broken wing was 

 caught by his children at Quoybank. The wound was nearly 

 healed, but the bone was quite healed. He let it go at Mud- 

 diesdale. The bird must have been wounded during the winter, 

 and so been unable to leave the country. 



