THE LOCH-AN-EILEIN OSPREYS 131 



nest when a heron flew across the loch and was driven away 

 by the mother bird. 



In 1895 I was m the same neighbourhood during August 

 and part of September, but saw the Ospreys only once, as 

 far as I can remember. They had built on the castle, but 

 I have no certain information as to whether they had bred. 

 About the middle of September a cormorant put in an 

 appearance at the loch, and there were fears lest its presence 

 should disturb the Ospreys. Mr. Hinxman, who was there 

 at the time, advised that the cormorant should be shot ; but 

 I am told that its departure made this unnecessary. I 

 understand that cormorants, though not previously unknown 

 at Loch-an-Eilein, are somewhat rare visitors there. 



In 1896 I was at Loch-an-Eilein during August, and 

 saw the Ospreys several times. They had nested at the 

 castle, and had hatched. I saw three birds flying together, 

 but did not ascertain whether there were two young or only 

 one. The probability is, however, that the three birds were 

 the mother and two young, for I think that the male bird 

 was less tolerant of observation, and usually kept out of 

 sight. 



In 1897 I was at Loch-an-Eilein during the latter half 

 of April and during the whole of August. I am told that 

 the two birds arrived on March 29th. They were still at 

 the castle in the summer, and I often saw them. There was 

 then certainly one young bird, and there may have been 

 two. On August 9th, when I was near Loch Gamhna, the 

 tributary loch to the south of Loch-an-Eilein, I saw the two 

 Ospreys flying. One of them alighted on a dead tree near 

 the loch, and was eating an eel. It seemed to grasp the eel 

 between its claw and the tree, and tore at it with its beak, 

 part of the eel dangling below the bough. At the foot of the 

 tree I afterwards found debris of fish. On August i8th I 

 saw one bird fly to the nest on the castle, and shortly after- 

 wards a second bird came to it, bringing a fish, which it 

 carried in its characteristic fore-and-aft manner. Then the 

 second bird flew about, dipping into the water, once some- 

 what deeply. I suppose it was attempting to catch fish, 

 but it did not get anything. While I was watching the bird 

 did not dive, but, flying along just above the surface of the 



