92 Transactions of the [Sess. 



unheard, as in all the hay and grain fields the grating sound was 

 audible at intervals — not, however, with the same monotonous 

 frequency as it would have been a month earlier, as, after the eggs 

 are laid and the young hatched, the somewhat unlovable love-song 

 of the male gradually decreases in intensity, until it finally dies 

 away altogether. The absurd idea that Landrails cannot fly, which 

 commends itself to so many people, is perhaps due to the fact 

 that the birds in the first instance invariably endeavour to seek 

 safety by running swiftly along the ground under cover of the long 

 herbage, or skulk behind bushes, hedges, or in ditches ; and it is 

 only when hard pressed that they ventiire to take wing. Of the 

 Hirundinida3, the Swift, House-Martin, and Sand-Martin were 

 plentiful — the Chimney Swallow not being noticed, although that 

 was in all likelihood owing to accident, rather than to the fact of 

 its non-existence. By the river-side the Oyster-Catchers or Sea 

 Pyets were tolerably numerous, flying up and down the course of 

 the stream, and emitting as they went the strange cry which is an 

 unfailing index to the species. The appearance of these maritime 

 birds among the woods and glens so far removed from their natural 

 element seems somewhat of an anomaly, and smacks so much of 

 the sea breeze as to make it difScult for us to become reconciled to 

 their presence in such opposite quarters from those they usually 

 haunt. Nevertheless they are decided ornaments to the district, — 

 the clearly defined black and white of the plumage, which forms so 

 marked and beautiful a contrast, lending to them an air of distinc- 

 tion which goes far to obliterate any notions we may have enter- 

 tained of their presence being incongruous. Oyster-Catchers are 

 not singular, however, in their habit of breeding inland, as many 

 Gulls and other sea-going species do the same. In exemplification 

 of this, let any one cross the hill from Portnacraig Ferry to Grand- 

 tully, near Aberfeldy. The track (it does not attain to the dignity 

 of a road) runs uphill for about two miles or so, until a compara- 

 tively fiat waste of bog-land is reached, dotted over which are a 

 number of small tarns, where in summer great gatherings of Gulls, 

 chiefly the common Larus ridibundus, find sufficient seclusion to 

 perform the labours of incubation in peace. Close to the largest 

 of these tarns is a memento of bygone days in the form of three 

 curious standing-stones, whose existence gives an interest to an 

 otherwise desolate locality, and rather adds to than detracts from 

 the weird aspect. When Gulls are nesting, they strongly object 

 to being intruded upon, and if emboldened by numbers, will dash 

 so uncomfortably near to one's face and head as often to preclude 

 the possibility of approaching safely to the water's edge. Besides 

 the ordinary screaming noise, they yelp like little curs in their 

 rage, and clearly show by their persistent efforts that, so far as the 

 interloper is concerned, they would much prefer his room to his 



