Notes on the Ornithology of Caithness. 335 



county in Scotland, and separated from the " storm-swept 

 Orcades" by only the narrow belt of the Pentland, through- 

 out the summer the few wooded tracts scattered over it re- 

 sound with the melody of divers species of this delicate and 

 lovely family. A wide and untrodden field lies here before 

 the first intelligent student of nature who may be privileged 

 to follow and observe these summer visitants in their sylvan 

 seclusion. The plantations of Stirkoke, the woods surround- 

 ing Hempriggs House, and that paradise to the sportsman 

 and naturalist the valleys of Berriedale and Langwell, are 

 favourite and much-frequented resorts. 



Previously to 18i0, Dr Sinclair of Wick had collected 

 and prepared with his own hands all those in the fol- 

 lowing list unmarked by an asterisk, amounting to the 

 truly surprising number of 191 ; therefore it will appear 

 that to the Doctor those interested in the subject are 

 deeply indebted. Another reason for making this list is, 

 that almost every other county has already a published 

 register of its birds ; and the rich and varied catalogue which 

 this county can present can be surpassed by but few within 

 the three kingdoms. Our diversified list exhibits species 

 that can hardly be exceeded in richness of colouring by the 

 gaudy inhabitants of tropical countries, such as the gar- 

 rulous roller ; natives of the warmer parts of Asia and Africa, 

 such as the spotted flycatcher and the rose-coloured pastor ; 

 and, contrasted with these, those splendid strangers from 

 the frozen regions of the Arctic circle, the snowy owl, the 

 jer-falcon, and the ivory and Iceland gulls. As instancing 

 what has been done in the way of illustrating the ornitho- 

 logy of this northern locality, I may in particular mention, 

 although these are not the only works of a similar kind, the 

 " Fauna Orcadensis" of the Eev. G. Low ; the " Natural 

 History of Orkney," by Messrs Baikie and Heddle ; the 

 " Tour in Sutherl and shire " by the late Mr St John ; and the 

 catalogue published in the " Zoologist," by that enthusiastic 

 naturalist, Mr Thomas Edward of Banff. I also cannot omit 

 noticing some of the very rare and valuable birds which Dr 

 Sinclair has been fortunate enough to secure within the 

 bounds of the county, although I regret not being able to 



vol. ii. 2 x 



