248 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



of the glen the air was clear, and there was brought up 

 to me with the breath of the wind the clear musical notes 

 of the Snow Bird's song. The songster was perched on 

 the top of a boulder, and he had not repeated his song 

 many times before he flew down and commenced to pick 

 up craneflies or " daddy long logs," -svhich are so numerous 

 on the high hills during the season of early summer. 

 Having procured a number of these insects, the bird now 

 flew a short distance to where one of his brood was con- 

 cealed, and proceeded to feed the expectant youngster. 

 When I arrived at the spot both birds showed signs of 

 great anxiety, and the hen fed her young almost under my 

 feet, endeavouring afterwards to induce it to take wing with 

 her. But the youngster had evidently left the nest only 

 a short time before, and was unable to fly more than a 

 few yards before its feeble wings refused to carry it farther, 

 and it lighted once more amongst the stones. During 

 that one July morning of 1909 I had under observation 

 no fewer than four pairs of Snow Buntings — two with 

 their young — in this wild glen. 



For several years afterwards the corrie welcomed its 

 Snow Birds with the coming of each spring, but in de- 

 creasing numbers. And then one year a tragedy — 

 regrettable, I venture to think, and avoidable — befell 

 one of the families. A collector, searching the high hills, 

 discovered the remote corrie and was attracted by the 

 song of the cock. He was fortunate enough to discover 

 the nest, and in course of time killed both the parent birds 

 and removed the nest and eggs. And now, for three years 

 at least, the song of the Snow Bird is no more heard in the 

 glen. On days when the sun lighted up the corrie, and 

 when the air was quiet, I have visited the former haunt 

 of the Snow Birds, and have sat and waited long amongst 

 the great stones where the birds formerly sang. But 

 there has been silence — a silence complete save for the 



