_Skerry-scrapers_.--The allusion here is to men who live off shell fish, ‘dilse,’ etc. off the skerries. There are--or were--excellent oysters on the St. Andrews skerries. Mr. Heddle tells me he has heard a woman insulting a man by saying she supposed he would soon leave no limpets in a certain bay, meaning that he was too lazy to work for his living. _Skate-rumple_ is, of course, the skate’s tail. Deemess is the nearest land to a famous piece of water for skate, known as ‘the skate-hole.’ _Holm ‘Hobblers’_ I do not understand, but shall make some further inquiries. I have an idea it is a reference to some bird; Mr. Heddle thinks it has something to do with seals, but neither of us knows. _Yearnings_ are, of course, the dried stomachs of calves used for making cheese. _Oysters_.--The bay of Firth was famous for its oysters till the beds were overfished and destroyed some thirty years ago. _Stromness ‘Bloody-puddings’_--Mr. Heddle suggests that the people bled their cattle twice or thrice a year and made ‘puddings’ of the blood. This, of course, was done in the Highlands at one time. _Assie-pattles_.--Either those who lay in the ashes or, Mr. Heddle suggests, who ate cakes baked in the ashes. Before iron girdles came much into use cakes were baked on flat stones; and there is a hill, known as ‘Baking-stone Hill,’ where the people used to come for stones that would not split in the fire. The peats used in Sandwick have a very red ash, which colours all persons and things near it. _Harray ‘Crabs.’_--Harray is the only parish in Orkney which does not touch the sea, and the name is given in irony. The old ‘tee-name’ is said to have been ‘sheep.’ The story is told that some fishermen passing through Harray dropped a live crab. The men of Harray could not make it out at all, and sent for the oldest inhabitant, who was brought in a wheel-barrow. After gazing at the monster for a few moments he exclaimed: ‘Boys, hid’s a fiery draygon; tak’ me hame!’ I suspect there is some other tee-name than ‘sheep-thieves’ for the Rendall people, but will try to find out and let you know. _Hoy ‘Hawks’_--Mr. Heddle, who was formerly proprietor of Hoy, says he thinks ‘auks’ must have been the original word, as he believes ‘tammy-nories’ was the old name. ‘Auk’ is Orcadian for the common guillemot, and a ‘tammy-norie’ is a puffin. Both of these birds abound in Hoy.