THE HEN HARRIER. 
35 
Harrier, and, although very difficult to approach in open places, 
may be obtained by hiding about stacks and outliouses early in 
the morning. Being much more abundant in Orkney, it is not 
surprising that more are met with in the southern districts of 
Shetland than in the northern. It may now be considered 
rare, even as a visitor. 
II. BTEiaiDJ^. 
THE EAGLE OWL. 
Biibo maxim us. 
CATYOGLE. 
The fact of the Eagle Owl having acquired a local name 
Stock Owl”) in Orkney, may be regarded as a nearly conclu- 
sive argument in favour of its reputed frequent occurrence 
there many years ago. In Shetland it was certainly oftener 
seen than at the present day, but not so often as Dr Arthur 
Edmondston’s account would lead one to suppose. At the 
time he wrote, all owls were known to the natives, as indeed 
they are even now, by the name of Catyogle ; ” and the 
Snowy Owl not then having been recognised as a British 
species, he was so far confused in his ideas upon the subject 
as to commit himself to the following statement : — '‘Strix Bubo, 
Ccdyogle, Great-horned Owl. — This bird long inhabited the 
island of Unst, and constructed its nest on the tops of rocky 
hills, but is now very scarce. I have repeatedly seen five or 
six of them together in day-light ; they feed chiefly on rabbits, 
of which there are great numbers in Balta and some other 
islands in the neighbourhood of Unst.” No other species of 
owl is included in the list. Although, like most of his con- 
temporary naturalists, but too ready to give credence to the 
assertions of the ignorant, the doctor’s well-known regard for 
strict truthfulness renders it impossible to doubt that the above 
statement was made in the most perfect good faith ; therefore 
