TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 55 



We continued our labours for two hours, when I 

 at length found the little creature whose cry had 

 struck me, and to my gratification it proved to be 

 a Stormy Petrel; it was sitting on its nest, which 

 was composed of a few loose pieces of seaweed, 

 and contained one small white egg very minutely 

 spotted at the broader end with brown. It did 

 not make the least effort to escape. I took it in 

 my hand, and when there, it squirted an oily matter 

 from its nostrils at me two or three times in quick 

 succession. We had removed a great number of 

 stones, and amongst the remainder I could hear 

 many more birds chirping and running about, 

 which, as the females sat so closely to their nests, 

 I supposed to be males, disturbed by the noise 

 we had made. I therefore placed myself in a suit- 

 able situation and desired the men to continue their 

 work, expecting, as their places of retreat were cut 

 oif, the male birds would fly out, and afford me an 

 opportunity of shooting a few of them. I was not 

 disappointed, for on the stones being removed the 

 birds flew out, and I shot several ; my son also 

 caught one young one. The men durst not touch 

 them, as they were afraid of the oil they squirted 

 having some injurious effect. I remained here until 

 six o'clock at night, when a thick fog coming on 

 suddenly, I thought it prudent to make the best of 



