70 THE ORNITHOLOGIST'S GUIDE 



two days ; we were not very successful, but got a 

 few birds and four of their eggs. We visited this 

 place again about a week after this, and got five 

 more birds, being all we could find. We next took 

 a trip to St. Margaret's Hope, distant about twenty 

 miles from Stromness, in order to visit an island 

 which lies on the left hand about a mile and a 

 half before you get to St. Margaret's Hope, where 

 the Stormy Petrel breeds. Some of the nests were 

 found in rabbit-holes, others in old stone walls; 

 they were not very plentiful, but we got a few both 

 of the birds and eggs. We stopped all night at St. 

 Margaret's Hope at a public-house where we got 

 very comfortable lodgings ; the next day we set 

 off for Stromness and visited several islands as we 

 went along. About six o'clock it came on to blow 

 very fresh from the westward and the wind in- 

 creased till ten ; it then turned to rain, and became 

 so thick that we could not see two boat's lengths 

 before us : we managed to make Howton about two 

 o'clock in the morning, a distance of six miles 

 from Stromness, having for a part of the time lain 

 under the lea of an island, thinking it would clear 

 up. A young gentleman resides here of the name 

 of Moncrief, whom I had frequently called on be- 

 fore ; he received us very kindly on this occasion 

 as well as on all others, and as soon as he knew 



