were a sort of deep ash-colour, barred with white and black; the feet were black.

This is the bird which the ancients imagined to be bred from a shell-fish, the absurdity of which is some time ago found out, that the fish continues as it was formed, and the bird no doubt is produced according to the ordinary methods of generation. The shell was the Lepas anatifera, Lin. Sys. 668. These shells are sometimes drove in here, adhering to pieces of wood, or tangles, in thousands.

Species 4.-The Brent Goose.

Wil. Orn. 360. Raii Syn. 137. Anas Bernicla, Lin. Sys. 198. Brit. Zool. 452. Orc. Horra Goose?

I HAVE seen a flock of half a dozen of these in Hoy Sound in winter, which is the only season they appear in Orkney.

I have often been informed, but never could obtain a specimen, of a bird of the goose-kind which appears in Deer Sound in the fall, and goes off in spring, and, by the general description, I imagine to be this species.

The name in Deerness is Horra Goose, and is described as a large gray bird, with a black head and hoarse cry.

Species 5.-The Eider Duck.

Wormius's Eider or Soft-feathered Duck, the Cuthbert Duck, Wil. Orn. 362. Raii Syn. Av. 141. Eider Anas, Sib. Scot. 21. The Colk, Mart. West. Isles, 25. Colca, Buch. Hist. Scot. lib. 1. Anas mollissima, Lin. Sys. 198. Brit. Zool. 454. Orc. Duntergoose. Pen. Tour. 37. tab. 1.

*

THESE birds in winter frequent our sounds and bays in large flocks, both of males and females, but for the most part go off in the spring. A few pairs build in a holm belonging to Trail of Holland, in the north isles, constructing their nests of sea-tang and the down of their own breasts.

This is a very beautiful bird, especially the male, the bill of which is black, as is the forehead, and a broad black bar from the bill to the eyes, which passes to the hind part of the head; the crown of the head, the cheeks, the neck, back, scapulars, and coverts of the wings are white; this is finely variegated by the lower part of the breast, the belly, the tail, and quill feathers, which are a full black. The female has none of these colours; she is of a uniform brown, barred with black; the quills black; the belly a deep brown; the tail dusky.

These ducks in spring swim in flocks, and nothing can be more pleasant in a fine day than to see two or three dozen of them sailing by; the lively black and white of the males, intermixed with the darker colours of the females, contributes

Vide Sib. 21.
S

much to diversify the scene; they are very thick of feathers, which makes them sit high on the water, and much adds to their appearance.

We have not so many of them with us in the breeding season as to make any thing of the down.

Species 6.-The Tufted Duck.

Wil. Orn. 365. Raii Syn. Av. 142. Anas fuligula, Lin. Sys. 207. Brit. Zool. 428.

THIS duck is often forced against its will to pay us a visit ; does not build here that I can learn; only comes in stormy weather, and goes off again when it is calm.

The head is a shining black, with a hanging crest of the same colour; the back and whole body, except the belly and a spot on each wing, is black.

The female has no observable crest, and is much browner than the male. While here they are close companions, never part, but come and go together.

Several other birds of this kind may perhaps pay us transient visits, but they are often so short, irregular, and to such distant parts of the country, that there is no getting any account of them; and oft-times many curious birds are caught by such as have no curiosity, further than to try what taste they have, and of consequence they are altogether lost to the Faunist. The others of the duck-kind found about these islands are as follows.

1

Species 7.-The Shieldrake.

Shieldrake or Burrough Duck, Wil. Orn. 363. Raii Syn. Av. 140. Anas Tadorna, Lin. Sys. 195. Brit. Zool. 461. Orc. Slygoose.

THIS is the most beautiful of the genus which is found in these isles. The bill of a male is a fine red, very much crooked and turned up, the base has a large soft knob, which swells much in spring, and is then of a brighter red than at other seasons of the year; the head is a fine deep green, below which is a white collar; the breast and shoulders are surrounded by a band of bay; the back is white, with a black stripe on each side; the covert feathers of the wings white; the first quill feathers are black, the next green, after which follow three of a deep bay; the tail white, tipped with black; the belly white, divided by a black stripe, which begins in the band of bay on the breast, and running between the thighs, ends about the vent; the legs a pale flesh colour.

The slygoose comes to us in the spring, and builds in holes of the earth, commonly in rabbit holes, and retires when breeding-time is over. They may easily be tamed; I have seen a flock of them up at a gentleman's house, where they ran about the doors with other fowls. They seemed to be weakly and delicate in their tame state, could make no shift for themselves, but must be fed by the hand. The winter seems not to be easily borne by these birds, and they retire no doubt to warmer climates.

Species 8.-The Mallard.

Common Wild Duck and Mallard, Common Tame Duck, Wil. Orn. 371, 380. Raii Syn. Av. 145, 150. Anas Boschas. A. domestica. Lin. Sys. 205. Brit. Zool. 462. Brit. Zool. Illus. tab. 24. Orc. Stock Duck.

WILD DUCKS build in great numbers through the country, in the marshes, meadows, and holms; but this is nothing to the flocks of them that migrate hither in winter, and perfectly cover our lochs and bays. These make this their retreat till the return of spring drives them off from us. We have no way of catching these but by the gun and water-spaniel, and they are generally so wild there is no such thing as coming near them. The great resort of ducks is to the loch of Stenness, and others through the mainland and isles; and, when these are frozen, the sea; in these places they may be seen in winter in surprising numbers, and upon the report of a gun

rise like clouds.

Sometimes the wild duck's eggs are hatched under a hen, and thus tamed, but for a long time retain the marks of their wild ancestors, falling off from them by degrees, by mixing with those which are still farther removed from their wild state. Ducks sell here for sixpence a-piece.