TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 83 



Rock Pigeon both in Orkney and Shetland. They 

 breed in the rocks and deep subterranean caverns,, 

 the mouths of which open to the sea, and to which 

 they constantly repair during the night. There is 

 one cavern on the north side of the island of Bressa 

 celebrated as a breeding-place of these birds. The 

 method I took to procure specimens was, to go 

 about the dusk of the evening, and make a noise 

 at the entrance of the cave ; the birds would then 

 fly out, and I frequently killed three or four at a 

 shot. They are smaller and of a darker colour 

 than our tame Pigeon. During the day they fly 

 about in large flocks, searching for food, and when 

 not engaged in feeding, their favourite resort ap- 

 pears to be such portions of the high precipices as 

 are covered with soft grass. 



Lagopus Scoticvs, Leach. Red Grouse. Moor 

 Fowl. — Although the Red Grouse is tolerably nu- 

 merous in the Orkneys, I have never seen one 

 in Shetland; I was, however, credibly informed 

 that it is occasionally seen on Rona's Hill in 

 winter. 



Lagopus mutus, Leach. Ptarmigan. White 

 Grouse. — A few pairs of this bird were shot in 

 one season some years ago on Hoy Hill in Orkney, 



