254: BIRDS. 



the cliff and the entrance of the nearest cave. Over this cave, 

 and forming a vast lintel across its upper arch, is an enormous 

 slab of sandstone ; and Razorbills and Guillemots frequent its 

 further back recesses." 



" The sea was so calm that I said, ' Well, Mr. Norrie, can 

 you manage it?' 'We'll try, anyway;' and it was done, Mr. 

 Norrie taking three careful and rapid full-plates, and we felt 

 not a little happy and elated therewith, as if indeed we had 

 really earned some little recognition of our services. So there- 

 fore we at least James Hourston and myself drank success to 

 all existing Kings and Queens, and to the requiescat in pace of 

 cunning William Fowlis. 



" J. A. HARVIE-BROWN." 



James Hourston subsequently called on Mr. Cursiter, Kirk- 

 wall, who wrote us under date 15/8/89, as follows : 



"Hourston called upon me yesterday with Mr. Harvie- 

 Brown's letter in hand, and wished me to communicate the fol- 

 lowing. The party who pursued the King of the Auks was John 

 Bull (you will easily recognise Mr. Bullock in this). Foulis' 

 wife was Mary Drever, and they have a daughter, Tomina, still 

 alive. It is thirty-nine years since Foulis died, at the age of 

 seventy-four." 



" William Foulis died in the north house of May back, Papa 

 Westray, and was buried in the churchyard of St. Bonafine, 

 Papa Westray." 



"It was in the summer season of 1813 that the bird was 

 shot. This is his information \ he further states that the book, 

 with illustrations, was presented to a young fellow some time 

 ago, who went to America." 



The book above referred to was mentioned by Mr. Hourston 

 to Harvie-Brown as containing a picture of the boat, and Wil- 

 liam Foulis standing up in it, when he shot the Great Auk. It 

 was a small book about 12mo size, but Hourston could not say 

 if it were a MS. or printed. He, however, distinctly remem- 

 bered the picture, and said it was very like Foulis, and that he 

 wore a tall hat. 



Mr. Monteith-Ogilvie was good enough to make further 



