U6 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



MOUNTAIN HARE. 



LEPUS VARIABILIS, Pallas. 



Both the "Blue Hare" and the next species appear to be 

 decreasing in numbers throughout west Sutherlandshire, a fact 

 wliich we cannot explain in any way. In Assynt the Mountain 

 Hare is now too scarce to be valued or preserved as game, but 

 is often killed by the gamekeepers to bait their traps with. Mr 

 Selby observes that it descends to the low grounds on the borders 

 of Loch Shin, and elsewhere. 



COMMON HARE. 



LEPUS EUROPAEUS, Pallas. 



Mr Selby says that in 1834 this species was "common in 

 the lower lands and the limestone district about Inchnadamph." 

 It is now extremely rare, not only at Inchnadamph, but throughout 

 west Sutherlandshire. We have only seen two examples in Assynt, 

 and these on the same day. It is locally known as the "Red 

 Hare." 



RABBIT. 



LEPUS OUNICULUS, Linnaeus. 



Although very common in the east of the county, Rabbits are 

 scarce in the west and north, except on some of the islands and in 

 other suitable places. On Ealan-nan-Gaeil (" The Island of 

 Strangers,") at the entrance of Tongue Bay, they abound, whence 

 its English name of "Rabbit Island." They have recently been 

 introduced into Handa, and are now very numerous there. 



RED-DEER. 



CERVUS ELAPJIUS, Linnaeus. 



As is well-known, Sutherlandshire is a stronghold of this princely 

 species, for whose special behoof wide tracts of country have been 

 set apart from the earliest times. Of these the principal are the 

 Dirrie-chatt, extending from the centre of the county to the borders 

 of Caithness, and the Dirrie-more or Reay Forest in the west. Of 

 the latter Sir Robert Gordon says " In the Dirimore ther is a hill 

 called Arkill; all the deir that ar bred therein or hant within the 



