NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 129 



I have never visited, but it covers a large extent of ground, and I 

 have no doubt large flocks of different species would be met with. 

 Of Ducks there are great quantities in both places ; at the former 

 place the flocks are comprised mostly of Widgeons, with a few Wild 

 Duck, Scaup, and the ubiquitous Golden-eye. Pintail have been 

 obtained here on one or two occasions ; as the spring advances large 

 flocks of Teal congregate in the Fleet, where it enters the Little 

 Ferry, near a place called " The Mound," and their whistling call 

 is heard on all sides. 



The East of Sutherland is not nearly so well supplied with lochs 

 as is the West, the eastern part of the parish of Rogart excepted, 

 but still there is a fair number, and when we go more to the centre 

 of the county we get to the larger lochs, such as, Baden Loch, Loch- 

 an-ruair, etc. All these are much frequented by Divers, Ducks, 

 Geese, and Gulls, which breed more or less numerously about the 

 shores. The Geese, I am afraid, are not nearly as numerous as they 

 used to be, though they are now unmolested, when formerly they 

 used to be shot as "flappers." Gulls are very abundant, in spite of 

 the war waged against them, both by shepherds and keepers, who 

 kill them, or smash their eggs whenever they get the chance. 



I think from these few remarks it will be seen that Sutherland 

 is as interesting a county as the naturalist can well visit, and I 

 believe further research would bring out many new facts, and add, 

 for certain, to the recorded number of species breeding in it, some 

 that are now only supposed to do so. What is much wanted is the 

 presence of a good resident naturalist in the county, one who is 

 thoroughly well acquainted with all the commoner species, who would 

 be able to detect by ear or eye a new or uncommon bird at once, 

 and who could afford to give plenty of time to the pursuit, 

 especially in the breeding season. 



It will be seen that in the following list, comparatively few rare 

 visitants are mentioned, and this may no doubt arise in great 

 measure from there being so few close observers in a district so 

 wide, more than from the absence of the birds themselves. 



LIST OF SPECIES. 



1. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetus (Lin.). — A few years pre- 

 vious to 1870 there used to be two nesting-places of this bird on 

 the East coast. In one, however, one or both of the old birds used 

 to be shot year after year when sitting, but two or three years 



VOL. V. I 



