THE BIRD-LIFE OF THE SPEY VALLEY. 95 
The hoarse bark of the raven is occasionally heard over- 
head in spring, but the birds themselves are not often seen, 
even among the recesses of the Cairngorms, 
No amount of trapping and shooting seems to lessen the 
number of those universally distributed marauders, the hoodie- 
crows. They are terribly destructive to both eggs and young 
birds, and one feels very little pity when war is declared 
against them in turn. 
The jackdaws, which are also great egg-stealers, have 
much increased of late years; they swarm in the rocks of 
Craigellachie. 
The magpie is generally distributed throughout the wooded 
districts. It is of course very conspicuous wherever found, 
with its handsome, metallic blue-black plumage and curious 
wavering flight. 
The starlings again are a much-increasing species. 
The rooks have been accused of late years of forsaking 
their innocent diet of grubs and wire-worms, especially in 
dry seasons, and taking to the carnivorous practice of eating 
eggs and young grouse. The much-persecuted race of 
falconide has sadly diminished since the days of game- 
preserving. The goshawks are gone, that in the time of Col. 
Thornton used to build in the forest of Rothiemurchus; the 
kites are gone, that fifty years ago might be seen soaring, two 
or three together, over the woods of Strathspey ; the buzzard 
is rarely seen; and the pair of Loch-an-Kilein ospreys are the 
last representatives of their race in the district. It is 
satisfactory to’ know that these, at least, are now strictly 
preserved ; and it may be hoped that under the watchful care 
of the present laird of Rothiemurchus they may long con- 
tinue to add an additional interest to the beauties of that 
neighbourhood. 
The sanctuaries of the deer-forests still afford shelter to 
the golden eagle and peregrine falcon, and the former, thanks 
to a certain amount of preservation, is perhaps a slightly 
increasing species. 
The merlin is found on the open moorlands, making its 
nest amongst the heather on a steep brae-side, or, more 
rarely, using a deserted crow’s-nest in a tree. 
The fierce sparrow-hawk and innocent kestrel both meet 
