CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 73 



I at last gave way, though I certainly had great doubts 

 on the subject. 



After leaving the rocky ground we made good pro- 

 gress for about an hour and a half, when I noticed 

 that Donald's cheerful countenance began to wear a 

 troubled look, and he at length proposed that we 

 should make casts for a large rock which ought (sup- 

 posing we were in the right line) to be at no great 

 distance. After searching for half an hour, but with- 

 out meeting a single mark that would serve to guide 

 us on our way, w^e found it was no use to proceed any 

 further in the direction we were going, and on re- 

 tracing our steps we soon got so confused, that even the 

 trusty Donald was forced to confess that he was at a 

 loss to know which way to turn. After wandering 

 about all night we found ourselves, when the mist 

 cleared off at daybreak, wdthin a short distance of 

 Loch Rannoch, being then just a mile or two further 

 from the Lodge than we were wdien we started for 

 home the previous evening. 



A few days later, as I was anxious to know where 

 we had first missed our w^ay, I went over the same 

 ground, when I discovered that after proceeding about 

 a couple of hundred yards, we had in some manner 

 turned round and taken a nearly opposite course. 



On passing the nest of the Ptarmigan which had 

 been caught by the terrier, I found she was sitting on 

 only three eggs, the others having been without doubt 

 carried off by the Ravens. While I was collecting the 

 tail feathers, which had most probably drawn their 

 attention to the nest, I heard a harsh croak, and on 

 looking up the Raven was right above my head, only, 

 unfortunately, out of shot. 



