THE 



ORNITHOLOGIST'S GUIDE 



TO 



THE ISLANDS OF 

 ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 



ON my first visit I arrived in Shetland on the 

 21st of March 1831, and remained there between 

 seven and eight months : in the spring of the fol- 

 lowing year I visited Orkney, and remained there 

 seven months. In the year 1833 I again visited 

 Orkney, early in January, for the purpose of get- 

 ting the winter birds, and remained nine months. 

 In 1834 I went to Holland for the like purpose, 

 but, I regret to add, did not meet with the same de- 

 gree of liberality from our Dutch neighbours that 

 had been accorded to me by my own countrymen. 

 Being ignorant of their laws, I unfortunately ar- 

 rived in Holland when the shooting-season had 

 expired; and so strictly are their penalties enforced 

 against any offender of the game laws, that I could 

 not even carry a gun without subjecting myself to 

 a fine. I stopped a month in the country, travel- 



B 



