The Ornithologist's Guide to the Islands of Orkney and Shetland

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Richard Taylor, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, and published by the author, 31, George Street, Hull, 1837 - Birds - 128 pages
 

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Page 116 - A thousand miles from land are we, Tossing about on the roaring sea, From billow to bounding billow cast, Like fleecy snow on the stormy blast ; The sails are scattered abroad like weeds, The strong masts shake like quivering reeds, The mighty cables and iron chains, The hull, which all earthly strength disdains, They strain and they crack, and hearts like stone Their natural hard proud strength disown. Up and down, up and down, From...
Page 117 - Up and down! up and down! From the base of the wave to the billow's crown, And amidst the flashing and feathery foam, The stormy petrel finds a home; A home, if such a place may be For her who lives on the wide, wide sea, On the craggy ice, in the frozen air, And only seeketh her rocky lair To warm her young, and to teach them to spring At once o'er the waves on their stormy wing!
Page 117 - And amidst the flashing and feathery foam The Stormy Petrel finds a home, — A home, if such a place may be, For her who lives on the wide wide sea, On the craggy ice, in the frozen air, And only seeketh her rocky lair To warm her young, and to teach them spring At once o'er the waves on their stormy wing ! O'er the Deep ! O'er the Deep ! Where the whale, and the shark, and the sword-fish sleep...
Page 117 - A home, if such a place there be For her who lives on the wide, wide sea, On the craggy ice, in the frozen air, And only...
Page 117 - O'er the deep ! o'er the deep ! Where the whale, and the shark, and the swordfish sleep ! Outflying the blast, and the driving rain, The petrel telleth her tale in vain : For the mariner curseth the warning bird, Who bringeth him news of the storm unheard...
Page 89 - ... the south of Scotland and north of England ; and Mr. Thompson states it to be " a local species, rather rare in Ireland,"* at the same time we have other authorities. Thus, Mr. Dann says, " the Purple Sandpiper is very numerous in Orkney and Shetland, appearing early in spring, and leaving again at the latter end of April, about which time it collects in large flocks.
Page 106 - Orkney, and while on a visit at Papa Westra, I was informed by Mr Trail, whom I had the pleasure of seeing two or three times, that a pair of these birds were constantly seen there for several years, and were christened by the people the King and Queen of the Auks. Mr Bullock, on his tour through the.se islands, made several attempts to obtain one, but was unsuccessful. About a fortnight after his departure one was shot and sent to him, and the other then forsook the place. Mr Trail supposed they...
Page 105 - Dunn, now of Stromness, may not be out of place: — " I have never seen a living specimen of this bird, nor do I believe it ever visits Shetland. I made inquiries at every place I visited, but no one knew it: had such a remarkable bird been seen there I must have heard of it. During my stay...
Page 18 - Shetlander perceived that one skin lay close to his feet, he snatched it up, bore it swiftly away, and placed it in concealment. On returning to the shore he met the fairest damsel that was ever gazed upon by mortal eyes, lamenting the robbery, by which she had become an exile from her submarine friends, and a tenant of the upper world.
Page 21 - The crew were unwilling to leave a companion to perish on the skerries, but the surge increased so fast, that after many unsuccessful attempts to bring the boat close in to the stack the unfortunate wight was left to his fate. A stormy night came on, and the deserted Shetlander saw no prospect before him but that of perishing...

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