Shetland
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Shetland. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
or ZETLAND ISLANDS (Old Norse, Hialtlandia, "the viking's land"), a group of over 100 islands (of which 30 are inhabited) lying N. N. E. of the Orkney Islands (formerly included in the same county); area, 551 square miles; pop. (1918) 26,300. The principal are the Mainland (60 miles long, but narrow); N. E. of it Yell (20 miles by 6), Unst (11 miles by 6); Fetlar, Whalsay, and Bressay. The lonely islands of Foula, 20 miles W. of Mainland, and Fair Island, 25 miles S. of it, are also included in the group. The rocks are chiefly Silurian, highly metamorphosed, resting on Laurentian gneiss, and covered in the S. by fragments of the the Orkneys. The coast line of the islands is rocky and precipitous and much indented; their surface is rocky and bare. The highest summit is Rona Hill, 1,590 feet high, in the N. of Mainland; Foula Island attains a height of 1,400 feet. The scenery of the islands is very grand. The climate is humid and mild, but severe storms rage during winter. It seems peculiarly healthy for the natives, who frequently attain a great age. The chief occupation of the Shetlanders fish, and herring are caught in great numbers. The bottle-nosed whale and seal are also hunted. Most of the fishermen possess also small crofts of land, on which they raise oats, bere, turnips, and potatoes. The group produces peculiar diminutive breeds of horses, cattle, and sheep. The ponies, called "shelties," are remarkably sure-footed. They were formerly regarded as common property and ran wild on the moors. Many are exported for use in coal mines. The women spend much of their time in knitting, and Shetland hosiery has long been famous. Though a variety of minerals are found in small quantities, chromate of iron is the only one obtainable in quantities worth exporting. The chief town is Lerwick, 100 miles N. of Kirkwall. The only other towns are Hillswick and Scalloway. The chief antiquities are the ruins of Scalloway Castle and of numerous socalled "Pictish" towers, the chief being Mousa, 12 miles from Lerwick. The Shetland Islands were early peopled by Northmen, and along with the Orkneys were attached to the kingdom of Denmark. Robert St. Clair, Earl of Orkney, held them under the kings of Denmark. In 1469 they were attached to Scotland as dowry of Margaret of Denmark, James III.'s bride. After passing through the hands of various noblemen they were sold in 1766 to Sir Lawrence Dundas, in whose family (the Earls of Zetland) they still remain. Old Norse customs long survived, and are not yet quite extinct, but the English language is now universal. A rich though littlewrought vein of folklore is indicated by the survival of many curious incantations or spell songs, which bear the impress of Odinic origin. A transfigured relic of an Eddic lay-a fragment of Odin's Rune song in a Christianized version-from the lips of an inhabitant of Unst, was received by Karl Blind in 1877.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a group of islands north of Scotland. The Shetlands lie about fifty miles northeast of the Orkneys. There are about one hundred islands, with a total area of 566 square miles. They are for the greater part hilly and rocky. The inhabitants speak English, but they are largely of Norwegian descent. They are occupied chiefly in fishing. The soil is too rocky and the summers are too rainy and cool to mature crops with any certainty. Much of the surface is covered by peat bogs. Oats, barley, potatoes, and other vegetables are raised to some extent. Sheep, cattle, and horses pasture on the moors. The islands are celebrated for the small breed of horses known as Shetland ponies. The "shelties," as the ponies are called, are a stout, hardy race. There are small manufactures of woolen cloth. The chief exports are herrings, fish, oil, cattle, ponies, eggs, and gloves. The scene of Scott's The Pirate is laid on the main island of Zetland or Shetland. See Scotland