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coucluLliiig rcniarkri, wuuld nut be perfect were I silent on tlie .subject, 

 namely, the wicktd and de'plorahlt plunder of eggs that now goes on 

 spring after spring on Tents-niuir, at one time the great nursery of a 

 large proportion of our Tay birds — and I do so in the hope that in 

 thus bringing it publicly before you, and exposing the iniquity that goes 

 on there, it may be the means in some way of helping to check it ; but 

 I should not have felt justified in doing this, for, with the exception of 

 the actual sea shore, the whole ground in question is private property, 

 had it not been for the cordial support of two of the proprietors — one of 

 whom I am happy to see here present to-night — Admiral-Maitland Dougal 

 of Scotscraig, and Mr Speedy, proprietor of Kinshaldy, also tenant, on 

 long lease, of the nnnaining portion on the estate of Earlshall, who has 

 l^romised every assistance in getting, if possible, this abominable practice 

 put down, both on his own property and that of the adjoining, as long 

 as he holds it. I therefore make no further apology, but proceed to 

 describe this fine breeding station, consisting of the whole of that sandy 

 tract known as Tents-muir, stretching for a distance of several miles, 

 from the Tay to the Edfen, with a Avidtli of some two or three miles, 

 which is most wonderfully adapted for breeding purposes, and therefore 

 the choice spot of numy of our birds — sixteen species of Avhich, not count- 

 ing land birds, are t(5 be found nesting there. This arises not only from its 

 isolated and retired position along this part of the sea coast, but from 

 the great extent of heath, marsh, and rushy ground with which it is 

 clothed, together with the interspersion of sand hillocks, wood, and 

 arable land. Along the shores are exclusively to be found, in small 

 patches, the Terns, each species by itself, together with the little King- 

 Plover, or Ring Dotterel ; further back, on the higher flats, large colonies 

 of Dunlin were formerly to be seen, but now terribly diminished. Mov- 

 ing on tlirough heath, marsh, and woody spots would be found in abund- 

 ance Eider, Peewit, Snipe, Redshank, Duck, and Teal ; while from nuiuy 

 a knoll the plaintive note of the Golden Plover, or the trilling cry of the 

 Curlew would be heard ; and further inland again, among the old sand 

 hills, deep doAvn in some deserted rabbit burrow, at a depth perhaps of 

 some ten or twelve feet, lay the soft nest of the Shieldrake, lined, like the 

 Eider, with its own down, and teiianted with its twelve or sixteen eggs. 

 These, together with the eggs of every other species, have for several 

 past years, in thousands, either been collected for profit, or destroyed in 

 mere wantonness. (Jver three hundred eggs have been known to be 

 collected by one party alone in a single day, consisting of Tern, Peewit, 

 Plover, 3iTrlew, besides considerable numliers of Eider, Teal, and other 

 Ducks. Ijut the principal mischief is done by boys and lads from Dun- 

 dee, St Andrews, Leuchars, &c., especially on Sundays; and I have been 



