BIRD LIFE IN SHETLAND.

BY ROBERT SCOT SKIRVING,

Seeing a number of eider ducks creeping down its sides to reach the water, we took the boat to see if they had their nests in any of its crevices. There were none, but the surface of the rock was absolutely covered with the shells of the sea-urchin, which it was evident the cormorants were accustomed to feed on. The shells had not been broken by being dropped on the rock (as gulls frequently do with shell-fish), but the contents had been extracted by a hole made by the bird's bill, as a crow sucks an egg. No doubt these urchins must be very numerous around this rock, and we conclude that the cormorants, after fishing them up, carry them to the shelves in order conveniently to break them.

Whilst thus becalmed, several boats came near us in the evening, when, for the first time, we saw herrings caught with a hook. Each man held in his hand what is called a dandy line—a cord furnished with a sink and half-a-dozen hooks of shining metal, but without any bait upon them. Standing upright in his boat, the fisher jerked his line

up and down in the water, throwing his arm upwards to its full stretch, and the herrings, attracted by the glittering hooks, seized them, and were caught, three or four at a time, with great rapidity. Having slept away the night hours on deck, we awoke in the morning to the consciousness that we still lay moveless on the water, rocked only by a ground swell

. Peering out from under the tarpaulin, there was the un. approachable headland in the distance, and the hearse-like rock close by, with all its wind-shaking cormorants just as they were, only the boat and the rocks bad reversed their relative positions. During the night we had advanced backwards with the turn of the tide, and were now slowly floating towards the port we had left on the previous day. The skipper, a cheery fellow, who had hitherto put a good face on it, telling us he was sure a breeze was "just coming,” now advised us to go back to Reawick, and wait for it there. We might be a week, he said, in the sloop, swinging backwards and forwards in the tides; and as we knew Reawick was much pleasanter quarters, thither we returned.

We had begun to think Foula little else than fabulous, but during an afternoon walk to the top of a hill-the Wart of Reawick-there we saw the veritable island, with all its five peaks standing out with a distinctness that seemed to mock the efforts we had made to reach it. Next morning the breeze tempted us, just as it had formerly done ; and, with much kindness, our host suggested that, as he was about to send a sloop to Kirkwall, we might take her to Foula, and bring her back again, too, if we found it necessary. As on the previous day, we sailed for a time very merrily along, and then, as our Irish friends Bay, it became as “bad as before, and a great deal worse.” After

getting well out to sea, the light breeze chopped round till it was right against us, and as night fell a new difficulty arose-we became enveloped in one of those impenetrable mists for which Shetland is unfortunately famous. In such weather it is very difficult to hit Foula, as a single point missed would send a ship wandering out into the Atlantic ; and the skipper, exercising a prudent discretion, advised us to turn and steer for the magnificent harbour of Vaila Sound. To reach this haven was, however, no easy matter, for though the tide, and what air there was, favoured us, the mist had completely shrouded the coast. As we neared the shore, every eye was strained to catch the first glimpse of the breakers, which a strong tide and a heavy ground swell made considerable. We heard the dull, heavy, continuous sound, but could see nothing. Once we thought we had descried the white foamline, but on cautiously approaching it, we found it only a long stream of froth, which, like a river of soap-suds, stretched out into the se&.

At length the actual breakers became visible, and most strange and weird-like was the appearance they presented. It seemed as if a pale grey curtain was slowly and continuously lifted up and down, and the roar of the surge had a dull, deadened, distant sound that seemed to have no connexion with the long grey phantom shape that so solemnly danced in front of us. In spite of its sombre hue and uniform movements, the dream-like thing before us reminded the spectator of the fliting silent motion of the aurora borealis. Certainly no one could have conjectured that what he saw were living waves, spurned into spray, and flung from precipitous rocks, making tremendous turmoil and continuous thunder.

“I'll tell ye, Magni, man,” said the skipper to his mate, who looked out from the bow, “ye'll take the boat and the laddie, and see if

ye can find whereabouts we are."

“Aye,” replied Magni, and continued to stare out into the night.

“ Did ye hear what I was saying'?” sung out the skipper ; but Magni was now so intently straining his eyes, that it is to be presumed his ears were closed, as he answered not. It was clear that Magnus "did not see it," and the skipper, finding how it was, said, “ Ye'll come and take the helm, Magni.'

This time Magni heard what was said, and the old man and the boy got into the boat and rowed out into the darkness.

“Whatever you do, don't lose sight of the sloop !” we cried, as he left us, as we had no fancy to be separated, for our own sake as well as his. In a few minutes we had the pleasure of seeing him wave bis cap and return. It was all right. We had hit the very spot he had steered for, and sailing close by a cliff, round which the swell seethed and surged, we glided into the still waters of the Sound, -Journal of Agriculture.

SALES OF BLOOD STOCK.

...

By Messrs. Tattersall, at York, in the Race Week ;

MR. T. HEWETT'S YEARLINGS.
Chesnut filly by Dundee, out of La Dame by The Baron (Mr. Jos. Dawson)
Bay filly by Kettledrum, out of Kate Hampton by Orlando (Mr. McIntyre)
Brown colt by Dundee, out of Blanchette by The

Baron (Mr. R. Peck)
Chesnut filly by Camerino, out of Klarnet by De Clare (Mr. W. Danby)
Bay colt by Lord Clifden, out of Stockings by Stockwell (Mr. R. Peck)

The RAWCLIFFE YEARLINGS,
Chesnut colt by Camerino, out of Emeute by Lanercost (Mr. John Dawson)
Bay colt by Caterer, out of Allington by Chatham (Mr. C. Rayner)
Black colt by Skirmisher, out of Makeless by St. Martin (Mr. Mannington)
Bay filly by Lord Clifden, out of Queen Bee by Amorino (Mr. Jos. Dawson)

MR. PLUMMER'S YEARLING.
Rebecca by Lord Clifden, ont of Sweet Hawthorn by Sweetmeat (Mr. A. Briggs)

CAPTAIN F. THOMPSON'S YEARLING.
Bay filly by Lord Clifden, out of Consequence (Mr. Mannington)

COLONEL TOWNELEY'S YEARLINGS.
Brown colt by Kettledrum, out of Be Quick by Windhound (Mr. Osborne)
Brown colt (h b) by Cape Flyaway, out of Passion Flower (Mr. Simpson).
Chesnut filly by Kettledrum, out of May Flower by Newminster (Mr. Bennett)
Chesnut filly by Kettledrum, out of Frondenr by Annandale (Mr. Lawley)
Brown filly (h b) by Cape Flyaway, out of Hesperithusa (Mr. Barlow)
Brown filly by Kettledrum, out of Nightingale (Mr. W. Day)
Chesnut colt by Kettledrum, out of Humming Bird (Mr. Bromsgrove)
Brown colt by Kettledrum, out of Amethyst by Touchstone (Mr. W. Richards)
Bay colt by Kettledrum, out of Imperatrice by Orlando (Mr. J. Dawson)...
Chesnut colt by Kettledrum, out of Pompadour by Stockwell (Mr. W. Day)
Black colt by Kettledrum, out of Honeydew by Touchstone (Mr. W. Richards)
Brown filly by Kettledrum, out of Haricot (Mr. Crawley)

MR. Eastwood's YEARLINGS.
Moss Rose, bay filly by Kettledrum, out of Rosaura (h b) by Don John (Mr. Blake)
Chesnut colt by Kettledrum, out of Fidget by The Fallow Buck (Mr. Rich)

THE HON. E. LASCELLES'S YEARLING.
Ainstey, chesnut colt by Lord Clifden, out of Lady Grosvenor (Mr. Bromsgrove)

MR. C. VYNER'S YEARLINGS.
Bay filly by the Marquis, out of Tarragona, (Lord Faversham)
Brown filly by Carbineer, out of Graziosa by Rataplan (Mr. A. B. Bennett)
Chesnut filly by the Marquis, out of Hag by Cowl (Mr. Hughes)

MR. T. Dawson's (OF DRIFFIELD) YEARLINGS.
Mac Alpine, chesnut colt by Blair Athol, out of Edith (Count Batthyany)
Brown colt by The Drake, out of Dove by Woodpigeon (Me. Westley Richards)

MR. W. PANSON'S YEARLINGS.
Chesnut colt by Cathedral, out of d by Weatherbit by Leprosy (Mr. T. S. Dawson)
Brown colt (brother to Fleets) by Van Galen, out of Leah (Mr. Winter)
Bay or brown colt by Rattaplan, out of Borealis by Newminster (Mr. Jardiue)
Bay filly (sister to Pandore) by Newminster, out of Caller Ou (Mr. Danby)
Bay filly by Newminster, out of Bab_ at the Bowster, (Mr. Danby)
Brown fillly by Newminster, ont of Bonny Bell, by Voltigeur (Mr. Danby)
Chesnut filly by Blair Athol, out of Breeze (Sidewind's dam) (Captain Cornish)

MR. J. WATSON'S YEARLINGS.
Brown colt by King of Trumps, out of Gobelins (Mr. W. Nicholls)
Bay filly by Newminster, out of Chamade by Retaplan (Mr. Dandy)
Bř by Dundee, out of Miss Hawthorn (dam of Captivator) (Captaiu Machell)
Brown colt by Neptunus, out of Hecate (dam of Witchcraft) (Mr. Myers)
Bay filly by Lord of the Isles, out of Selina (dam of Cecil) (Mr. R. Peck)

70 250 100

By Messrs. Tattersall, at Albert-gate, on Monday, Sept. 20 :

MR. C. ALEXANDER'S BROOD MARES,

GS.

20 35

32

20

20

Blanche de Nevers by Vengeance, out of Device by Springy Jack; served by Robin

Hood (Mr. Maurigy)
Priestess by Pontifex, out of Countess by Slane ; served by Thunderbolt (Mr. Ellam)...
Coterie by Cotherstone, out of Lady Betty by Slane; served by Thunderbolt (Mr

Betagh)...
Daniel O'Rourke Mare, her dam sister to Driffield by Hampton ; served by Peon (Mr.

Porter).
Zerlina by Annandale, out of Hand-over-hand's dam by Sleight-of-hand; served by

Thunderbolt (Mr. Betagh)
Şister to Compromise by Newminster, out of Maria by Hetman Platoff; covered by

Thunderbolt (Mr. Ellam)
Lady Seaham by The Marquis

, out of Julia ; served by Thunderbolt (Mr. Abel) Catherine by The Prime Minister, dam by Camel (Muscovite's dam); served by Thun

derbolt (Mr. Ellam)...
Lady Weymouth by Lord of the Igles, out of Lady Wild by Lanercost ; covered by

Thunderbolt (Mr. Betagh)
At Dongaster, in the race week:

...

30 20

...

150 100

...

110

...

25

100

50

MR. G. W. MORRIS's YEARLING.
Chesnut colt by The Marquis, out of Vishnu by Lambton (Mr. A. B. Bennett)

THE CROFT YEARLINGS.
Bay colt by Dundee, out of Letty Long by Longbow (Mr. G. Nunn)
Bay colt by Loiterer, out of Banquette by Rifleman (Mr. J. Nightingall)...
Brown filly by Blair Athol, out of Effie by Wild Dayrell (Mr. Jefferson)

CAPTAIN BARLOW'S YEARLINGS.
Chorister by Surplice, out of Maid of Corinth by Grecian (Mr. W. Ford)...
Nebuchadnezzar, b c by Surplice, out of Nebula by Longbow (Mr. W. Reeves)

Mr. A. HARRISON'S YEARLINGS.
Chesnut filly by Lord Clifden, ont of Scarlet Runner by Arundel (Mr. W. Reeves)
Black or roan filly by Rataplan, out of Spinster by Flatcatcher (Mr. W. Reeves)

MR. COLLINSON'S YEARLING.
Bay colt by The Marquis, ont of Miss Birch by Chanticleer (Mr J Nightingall)

MR. WRIGHT'S YEARLINGS.
Bay filly by Arthur Wellesley, out of Dewdrop by Mildew (Col Boyd)
Queen Mab, bay filly by Caractacus, out of Irene by King Tom (Mr Lund)
Ten Broeck, ch'c by Mildew, out of Vitula by Arthur Wellesley (Col Boyd)

Hon. C. FITZWILLIAM'S YEARLINGS.
Bay colt by Marsyas, out of Seamstress by Notwith (Mr Merry)
Brown coli by Van Galen, out of Miss Stewart by Oxford Blue (Mr l'Anson)

MR. J. Scott's YEARLING.
Carbonnell, brc by Claret, out of Columbine by The Flying Dutchman (Captain Ma-
chell)

MR. J. G. SIMPSON'S YEARLINGS.
Bay filly by Voltigeur, out of Merry Thought by Mandricardo (Mr J Watson)
Bay colt by Young Dutchman, out of Alexandra by Neville (Mr T Masterman)
Digby Grand, b c by Saunterer, Miss Digby by Touchstone (Mr F Fisher)
Trident, b c by Neptunus, out of Ferrara by Orlando (Mr F Fisher)

MR. G. HESLOP's YEARLING,
Chesnut filly by Camerino, out of Bonny Blink by The Flying Dutchman (Mr Hors-
burgh) ..

MR. JAMES DAVIDSON'S YEARLING.
Bay filly by The Marquis, out of Tuberose (Mr M Hartigan) ...

MR. J. NEWTON'S YEARLINGS.
Little Eugenie, b f by Lambton, out of Stainley by Colsterdale (Capt Machell)
Lady St Vincent, ch'f by Lord Clifden, out of Blanche by Birdcatcher (Mr Porter)

240 10

GS.

90

380

...

...

300

...

...

...

40 200

30 100 50 140

50 165 10

50 600 200 150

York and Lancaster, b c by The Marquis, out of Moss Rose by Van Dieman (Mr

Smith)
Gondokoro, bk or br f by Macaroni, out of Margaret of Anjou by Tonchstone (Mr "J
Bland)

LORD FEVERSHAM'S YEARLING,
Balquidar, b or brc by Blair Athol, out of Phantom Sail by The Flying Dutchman
(Mr J Lowe)

LORD SCARBOROUGH'S YEARLINGS.
Centurion, b c by Rataplan, out of Minnie by Weatherbit (Mr Holdsworth)
Columbus, b c by Adventurer, ont of Mirage by Flying Dutchman (Mr T Dawson)
Lola, b f by Adventurer, ont of Plentiful by Don John (Mr Ward),
Experience, ch f by St Albans, out of Teacher by Student (Mr Graham)
Fair Eleanor, ch f'hy St Albans out of Nell Gwynne by Iago (Mr Weever)
Fidalma, bk f by Rataplan, out of Charmione (sister to Cantine) (Mr Graham)
Lapageria by The Marquis, out of Eglantine by Flying Dutchman (Mr J Nightingall)
My Queen, bf by Rataplan, out of Hermione by Kingston (Mr W Reeves)
Hysteria, ch f by Rataplan, out of Monomania by Hippolytus (Mr Wigglesby)

THE WHITEFIELD YEARLINGS,
Bay or roan colt by Lambton, out of Thong by West Australian (Capt Machell)
Bay colt by Lord Clifden, out of Ornament by Weatherbit (Mr T Dawson)
Bay filly by Lord Clifden, out of Vanilla by Sweetmeat (Mr Horsburgh) ...
Brown filly by Kettledrum, out of The Broom by Van Tromp (Mr Graham)

THE BOYTHORPE YEARLINGS.
Blockade, ch c hy Citadel, out of Inverness by Saunterer (Mr Sharpe)
Ramahoo, brc by Tim Whiffler, out of Smut by Womersley (Mr Weever)
Wanderer, b f by Thormanby, out of Strayaway by Orlando (Mr W Reeves),
Viper, b c by Ely, out of Venom by Harkaway (Mr H Goater)

BROOD MARES.
Irish Point by Daniel O'Rourke, out of a Cowl mare ; with filly by Newcastle, and

covered by Strathconan (Mons André)
Rio by Melbourne, out of Flemish Girl by Hetman Platoff; with filly by Victorious, and

covered by Strathconan (Mr Lincoln)
Verbena by Sir Tatton Sykes, out of Lady Claremont by Marvel ; with colt by Adven-
turer, and covered by Strathconan (Mr Lincoln)

MR. W. SADLER'S YEARLINGS.
Bay colt by Lord Clifden, out of Flutter by Alarm (Mr T Dawson)
Bay filly by Adventurer, out of The Rescued by Orlando (Mr Blanton)
Bay colt by Carbineer, out of Demira by Master Bagot (Mr T Dawson)
Brown colt by St Albans, out of Allegra by Touchstone (Mr W S Crawfurd)
Chesnut filly by Knowsley, out of Woodside by Prime Minister (Mr H Goater)
Chesnut colt by Lord Clifden, out of Vimeira by Voltigeur (Mr T Dawson)
Bay colt by Surplice, out of Thimblerig by Sleight-of-Hand (Mr W Day)...

THE EARL OF BRADFORD'S YEARLING.
Bay filly by Oxford, out of May Bell by Hetman Platoff (Sir Williamson Booth)

SIR TATTON SYKES' YEARLINGS.
Flint Jack, ch c, by Stockwell, ont of Wensleydale by Colsterdale (Mr Edwards)
Chesnut filly by Stockwell, out of Marigold by Teddington (Mr Brooks)
Chesnut filly by Thormanby, out of Little Agnes by The Cure (Mr W Saunders)

35 105 155 100

80

80

160

250 110

70 530

70 370 100

40

Prince Royal, ch c, by Orpheus or Cramond, dam by Sleight-of-Hand (Mr I Woolcot)... 200

MR. CROWTHER HARRISON'S YEARLINGS.
Sword Trick, f, by Gladiateur, out of Astonishment by Stockwell (Mons André)

210 Grand Coup, ch c, by Gladiateur, out of Aline by Stockwell (Mr T S Dawson)

300 Mr. Cookson's YEARLINGS. Metheglin, bf, by Caterer, out of Hybla (Mr Becher)

500 Rose of Athole, br f, by Blair Athol, out of Violet by Voltigeur (Capt Machell)

165 Bill of Fare, b f, by Caterer, out of Queen of the Gipsies by Chanticleer (Mr Weever) 70 Clanronald, ch c, by Kettledrum, out of Lady Macdonald by Touchstone (Mr C Peck)... 420 The Jackal, ch c, by Caterer, out of Maggiore by Lecompte (Mr M Dawson)

350 Pontine, chc, by Lord Clifden, out of Pestilence by Daniel O'Rourke (Mr Heene) 300