TO ORKNEY AND SHETLAND. 103 



and Shetland, and is seldom found far from the 

 land; it makes its nest in holes under stones, and 

 in fissures of the rocks. The female lays two 

 eggs. I have repeatedly taken the eggs from under 

 large stones, when I could not reach them, by 

 screwing my ramrod into them. It is rather a 

 singular circumstance that the young of this spe- 

 cies never leave the nest until perfectly fledged 

 and able to provide for themselves ; as soon as this 

 takes place the attendance and care of the parents 

 cease ; they do not even continue in the company 

 of their young, which associate together for some 

 time afterwards. 



Mergulus melanoleucos, Ray. Rotche. 

 Little Auk. — The Little Auk appears regularly in 

 Shetland every winter. I have not heard of any 

 having been seen in Orkney, though I should sup- 

 pose it occasionally visits those islands* It is not 

 numerous, rarely frequents the shore, but keeps 

 in deep water : in severe weather it retires into 

 the harbours and small inlets, where it is fre- 

 quently shot. 



Alca impennis, Linn. The Great Auk. Nor- 

 thern Penguin. — I have never seen a living speci- 

 men of this bird, nor do I believe it ever visits 



