BIRDS. 225 



one 1886, Kirbister, and also probably another on Swanbister, 

 by W. Halcro; one 1885, on Hobbister. Before that I never 

 heard of it breeding in this parish." 



To this we can add another instance of a nest taken in, or 

 close to, the same parish in 1888. Miss Flower, then residing 

 at Smoogroo, near Swanbister, told us that a herd-boy had 

 taken a Curlew's nest with either three or four eggs, which, of 

 course, he had eaten, in May of that year. So interested was 

 Miss Flower in this, that she took the trouble of going to see 

 the empty nest, which she described to us, and which was no 

 doubt a Curlew's. From these remarks it will be seen that 

 the Curlew is not a common breeding species all through 

 Orkney. 



In Hoy the Curlew is much commoner, and whereas, in the 

 Mainland, we ourselves never met with it during the breeding 

 season, in the former island we saw several pairs that evidently 

 had eggs or young. This, however, was the only place where 

 we found it breeding, though we saw stray birds here and 

 there through the islands in June, and by the beginning of 

 July, on at least two occasions, we saw a considerable flock. 

 In autumn and winter this species is common enough along all 

 the coasts. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle tells us he has often seen the Curlew 

 drive off Eichardson's Skua, and, rushing up behind it, give it 

 a " prod " with its long bill. In spite of its long, awkward- 

 looking bill, the Curlew eats quantities of the "Hill-berry" 

 (Empetrum nigrum), and is also, very fond of Swedish turnips, 

 when it can get at them through the skin being broken in any 

 way. 



In 1883 Buckley saw a cream-coloured Curlew on the island 

 of Gairsay. 



Mr. Eeid, innkeeper, S. Eonaldsay, informed us that, some 

 six or seven years ago, when hunting for an owl's nest in 

 Orphir, he saw six pairs of Curlews in the air at once, which he 

 thought were all breeding ; he, however, was not successful in 

 finding a nest. 



In the collection of Mr. E. S. Cameron of Burgar is the 

 P 



