60 Natural History Notes. [Sess, 



of snow there must be a good many about, and that he had 

 frequently seen one in the deep pool from the top of Crag-an- 

 dhuie. I then suggested that I would load some cartridges 

 with heavy shot, conceal myself by the side of the brook at a 

 shallow place, and, as the moon was nearly full, I should be 

 able to shoot one as it proceeded upwards after daylight had 

 disappeared. Macdonald, however, thought that, as it was 

 only 60 or 70 yards from the top of the rock to the water, 

 I should be able to kill one with the rifle in daylight. 

 Although not so sanguine about this, I nevertheless on the 

 following afternoon took my rifle and proceeded to the crag 

 referred to. 



As it was about the end of the shooting season, Macdonald 

 was anxious to send away as many grouse as he possibly could 

 obtain in his weekly hamper to the tenant of the shooting in 

 London. He therefore started early for some distant ground 

 at the extreme end of the shooting, and left me to procure my 

 amphibious specimens as I best could. On arriving at the 

 rocks, I crept stealthily forward in the hope of finding the 

 object of my anxiety in the pool. Nothing, however, was to 

 be seen ; so, choosing a sheltered place, I put on my ulster 

 and waited patiently, in the expectation of seeing an otter 

 appear above or at the side of the water. Placing my hand- 

 kerchief on a bit of rock, it afforded an excellent rest ; and, 

 as already observed, the distance to tbe water was under 70 

 yards, so that if I got a good chance I had ample confidence 

 in my " Joe Harkom express." Long and anxiously I gazed 

 at the silent pool, but no signs of the otter. A couple of 

 hours thus passed, and as it was clearing up to frost, I sat 

 shivering with cold. Eising up, I proceeded down the hill in 

 order to look for tracks by the brook-side. Plenty of these 

 were to be seen, while a little farther up, on a small island, 

 partly covered with alder bushes, were seven sea-trout kelts, 

 from about three to eight pounds weight, lying dead, with a 

 part eaten out behind the head. This was clearly the work 

 of otters, and the destruction of so many fish afforded a sort 

 of palliation for attempting to kill a couple of them. The 

 sight of so many footprints and remains of fish inspired me 

 with fresh hope, so again I sat down and waited patiently till 

 the shadows of the mountains crept over the landscape. 



I now regretted not having my gun instead of the rifle, as I 



