226 Birds of Kintail, Ross-shire. [Sess. 



feeding-ground for maritime species — to wit, herons, gulls, 

 oyster-catchers, redshanks, and so on. 



Enough has perhaps been said to give you a cursory idea 

 of the country, so attention may now be drawn to the bird 

 life. Commencing, as in duty bound, with what are some- 

 times termed the nobler order — viz., birds of prey — it is 

 regrettable to record that, thanks to the relentless warfare 

 waged by game - preservers, the number of these is rapidly 

 diminishing, and in my own experience I can only verify the 

 existence of three — the peregrine falcon, kestrel, and sparrow- 

 hawk, and, from report only, the merlin. The last has not 

 been identified by me, but I am led to understand it occurs 

 sometimes. The kestrel is not so very uncommon, and a pair 

 may almost always be seen in the vicinity of a huge, rocky, and 

 precipitous knoll, about two miles up the east side of Loch 

 Duich. From the summit of this knoll a most comprehensive 

 view is obtained of the loch, and what is locally known as 

 the " Fold of Kintail," a hollow opening surrounded on^ three 

 sides by the lofty mountains indicated previously, and desig- 

 nated the " Five Sisters." This pair appear to nest on the 

 inaccessible face of the rock, quite safe from intrusion. 

 Sparrow-hawks breed on a range of cliffs facing the south 

 side of Loch Alsh, about midway between the ancient Broch 

 Caisteal G-rugaig and a farmhouse called Ardintoul. Owls 

 are not very common either, although the tawny species may 

 be heard hooting at nights in the woods at Totaig Ferry, and 

 also about Inverinate and Balmacarra. The barn owl is the 

 only other existing species known to be resident : it nests in 

 the same rock as the kestrels. 



Turning to the Corvidse or Crows, we find this genus well 

 represented. Bavens, though by no means plentiful, still breed 

 in certain quarters, notably at the landward end of Loch Long, 

 and on several occasions have been observed by myself flying 

 at an immense height over the muir which lies between Loch 

 Alsh and Loch Carron. The carrion crow is not so abundant 

 as his congener the grey bird, which in winter and early spring 

 swarms on the coasts, picking up its food among the sea-ware 

 at low tide. Those birds are exceptionally cunning, and defy 

 all the efforts of the keepers to exterminate them, — the shores 

 being bare and open rendering it a most difficult matter to 



