462 



PRACTICAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



SIXTH LESSON. 



AUDUBON, ORNITHOLOGUS. AND PHYSIOPHILUS MAKE A DIGRESSION TO THE 

 PENTLAND HILLS, HALT AT CURRIE, AND RETURN TO EDINBURGH, DIS- 

 COURSING ON BIRDS AND OTHER MATTERS. THEREAFTER MR WEIR 

 GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF THE MIGRATORY BIRDS OF WEST-LOTHIAN, OR- 

 NITHOLOGUS OF THOSE OF MID-LOTHIAN, AND MR HEPBURN OF THOSE 

 OF EAST-LOTHIAN. SOME OMISSIONS ARE JUDICIOUSLY DEALT WITH, 

 AND PROMISES MADE, WHICH THE AUTHOR INTENDS TO FULFIL TO THE 

 LETTER. 



Ornithologus. A more beautiful morning, or one giving pro- 

 mise of a brighter day, we could not have desired. I am glad 

 that it is so, for this may be our last excursion, and I am 

 anxious that the favourable impression made upon you by our 

 Highland mountains and lakes, which we visited together last 

 September, may not be diminished by the sight of our Lowland 

 hills, of which the Pentlands on our right hand are not the 

 least celebrated. 



Audubon. What you say as to the weather is true indeed, 

 for a finer May-day I have never seen in any country. The 

 thermometer was at 54° when we left Edinburgh, but the 

 unusual heat is tempered by this gentle breeze from the west. 

 As to your Highland scenery, I freely confess that it is in some 

 respects unrivalled, and your Lowlands are generally very 

 beautiful, while your capital is certainly not equalled by any 

 city that I have seen in Europe or America. 



Physiophilus. There is Woodhouselee, the residence of a cele- 

 brated historian. There are some Titmice in the trees. Golden- 

 crested Wrens, and List ! did you not hear the Willow 



Wren ? 



