288 Mr Selby on the Quadrupeds and Birds 



tant. At Keoldalc we met with a recent skin (now in my possession)^ and 

 the remains of one that had been killed near that place a short time before 



our arrival by Mr Leslie. 6, F. peregrinus, Peregrine Falcon. Is pretty 



generally distributed, and preys much upon the various aquatic fowl, as 



well as on grous, ptarmigan, and alpine hares. 6. F. tinnunculus, 



Kestril. Common throughout the county. 7. Buteo vulgaris. Com- 

 mon Buzzard. This species we met with in various parts of the county. 



8. Circus cyaneus. Hen Harrier. A single female individual was 



seen and fired at between Alt-na-Harrow and Loch Laighal. No owls 

 were met with, but from the information we received, the Otus Brachyo- 

 tos inhabits the country. 9. Hirundo rustica. Chimney Swallow. Com- 

 mon. 19. H. urbica. Martlet. Plentiful. Breeds in great numbers 



about the marble rocks near Inch-na-Duriff. 11. H. riparia. Sand 



Martin. A few were seen, but no great breeding-station noticed. 



12. Cypselus murarius. Common Swift. We met wdth this bird in the 

 parish of Durness, where it breeds in the great Smoo Cave, and other ca- 

 verns of the limestone rock. 13. Muscicapa grisola. Spotty Flycatcher. 



A specimen seen at Rosehall, below Oikel Bridge. 14. Menila mu- 



sica. Song Thrush. Plentiful throughout the whole country, particularly 

 where birchen or hazel copse abounds ; it is also frequently seen in rocky 

 situations, perched upon a large stone, pouring forth its melodious 

 strains, which are precisely similar to those of its fellow species in other 

 parts of the kingdom. No other thrush nearly resembling the common 

 kind in colour, but darker and smaller, was seen, and we in vain tried to 

 recognise the little brown thrush of Mr Laidlaw, which I am inclined to 

 suppose was only the common species seen in rather unwonted situations. 

 We shot several for examination, in wild and unfrequented places, and 

 where no one, judging of the habits of the thrush, as seen in more south- 

 em districts, would have expected to find them. We were informed at 

 Tongue, in which district from the plantations and numerous birch-woods 

 they are very numerous, that they do not migrate, but remain during 

 winter upon the margins of the Firth, and other low situations, where the 

 snow rarely lies, and where they always have a plentiful supply of food. 

 16. Merula viscivora. Missel Thrush. Was seen about the birch- 

 woods upon the banks of Loch Naver, and in the neighbourhood of Lavig. 



16. M. vulgaris. Blackbird. Is not frequently seen in Sutherland. 



We met with it at Tongue, where it finds an appropriate retreat in the 



plantations around Tongue House. 17. M. torquata, Ring Ouzel. 



This species is very abundant during summer upon all the rocky moun- 

 tains. It begins to breed immediately on its arrival in April, and we 



found the young generally flown by the middle of June. 18. Cinclus 



aquaticus, European Dipper or Water Ouzel. In a district abounding in 

 rocky streams and situations so congenial to the habits of the Dipper, we 

 naturally expected to find this favourite little bird in great profusion. 

 Our surprise at first was therefore great, to meet with only an individual 



