174 



A DAY'S RAMBLE 



BY THE SEA-SHORE, IN THE BEGINNING OF MARCH, 1853, 



IN COMPANY WITH A FRIEND. 



BY MR. T. EDWARDS. 



We left Banff by daylight, with a rather hazy sky and a strong breeze 

 from the E. N. E.: it was somewhat coldish, being frosty, but a most excellent 

 day for our purpose, that of viewing and searching after the beautiful and all 

 but neglected, that is in this quarter, works of creation. Towards noon the 

 haze melted away, and the bright and glorious orb of day broke forth in all 

 his majesty of might, and looking down with unclouded splendour, cheered us 

 with his welcome and invigorating rays. Having passed through Whitehills," 

 we took the low path which leads along the beech to Portsoy. The coast 

 here, though not possessed of those bold and towering cliffs which are to be seen 

 along some parts of our sea-shore, is nevertheless rocky, and in many instances 

 somewhat steep. With the exception of two, or perhaps what might be termed 

 three, small spots, there is nothing in the shape of a sandy flat, bank, bar, 

 or shingly beach; there were nothing but rocks and grassy braes along our 

 whole route. Such being the nature of the locality, we perhaps did not meet 

 with so many of our wading friends as we might have done had it been a 

 comparatively flat and marshy coast, interspersed with mussel scalps and oozy 

 beds of sand or muddy pools; still, however, we were not altogether disappointed 

 even in that way. And now for our catalogue: — 



Great numbers of adult and immature Gulls, dispersed in numerous parties, 

 were riding buoyantly here and there on the bosom of the living waters, whilst not 

 a few were enjoying a lounge, as it were, on the more desirable portion of 'terra 

 firma.' Of these, many appeared to be busily engaged in dressing and arranging 

 their downy plumage; a few occasionally passed overhead, bending their course 

 inland, no doubt to follow, though not to whistle at, the plough of some 

 friendly husbandman. Of Curlews, (Numenius arquata,) we observed nine; 

 Redshanks, (Totanus calidrif,) four; Ring Plovers, (Charadrius hiaticula,) five; 

 and a pair of Oyster- catchers, (Ilcematoptts ostralegus,) all of which, on rising 

 from the lower-lying portion of the rocks, which at low-water are here bare 

 in many places for some distance out, as we passed greeted us with their 

 respective notes of recognition and alarm, uttered as a warning of approaching 

 danger to their less watchful and less timorous brethren. Four Herons, {Ardea 

 cinerea,) three of which had long and beautiful pendant plumes, were also 

 observed and aroused from their fishing-grounds. Small groups of Long-tailed 

 Ducks, (JIarelda glacialis,) were likewise to be seen, and in many instances 

 close in shore; with here and there a sprinkling of Golden- eyes, [Clangula 

 vulgaris;) and a few Scaups, {Fuligula Oesneri.) Of Divers we counted 

 seven, but could not distinguish the species; and of Cormorants, (Pliala- 

 crocorax carho,) three. All these, that is the Divers and Cormorants, were 

 * A small fishing village a little over two miles west of Banff. 



