1890-91.] Birds of tJie Great Glen. 453 



its origin to sucli au early era, suffice it to say that it is of 

 great antiquity, and was a place of strength long prior to the 

 days of Wallace and Bruce. There is a certain amount of 

 dreamy pleasure to be derived from sitting amidst the broken 

 ruins of such a castle, and to ruminate upon the stirring 

 events of which its walls have been witnesses ; but when we 

 remember the cruel acts and deeds of blood perpetrated, we 

 cannot help thanking heaven that we live in happier days, 

 and in a country where a recurrence of similar scenes is well- 

 nigh impossible. Of the wagtail and pipit brotherhood only 

 five can be accounted as habitual sojourners. Those are the 

 pied and grey wagtails, and the meadow, rock, and tree pipits. 

 Another wagtail, known as the white, has beyond doubt been 

 recognised, but not often, although it may be more frequent in 

 its visits than one would suppose, considering its similarity to 

 Motacilla lugubris. That it is a distinct species there can be 

 no shadow of doubt, but it must be acknowledged that unless 

 two fully matured specimens of each are compared close to- 

 gether, it is not an easy matter to distinguish them, especially 

 when young, and at a distance. The rock pipit is a constant 

 resident on the sea-shores, but a few appear among the up- 

 lands — sparsely distributed, however, in comparison with the 

 meadow pipit. The last named is always a pleasing little 

 object, despite its unpretending dress. You can hardly fail to 

 knock up many pairs while walking on the grassy hill-slopes 

 or wide muirs, and as they rise with a jerking sort of motion 

 they utter a peculiarly plaintive chirp as a protest against 

 intrusion, but this sound always seems to me to have more of 

 the piteous complaining than of the angry querulousness com- 

 mon to many birds when disturbed by strangers. It possesses 

 a similar habit to the tree pipit of saihng down from a height 

 in a slanting direction with outspread wings, and singing with 

 gusto until it reaches the ground, with this difference that the 

 arboreal s]Decies alights upon a tree, whereas the titlark lands 

 upon terra fi,rma. The tree pipit is a summer migrant only, 

 while the other inhabits Scotland all the year round. 



Time would not permit of doing more than glancing rapidly 

 at the remaining number of small species before finishing up 

 with the water and game birds. The following are fairly 

 abundant : the skylark, corn bunting, yellow bunting, reed 



