On Moinitain and Loch. 89 



in the eastern counties, but they do not breed in the 

 country (if we except possibly the Isle of Man). In 

 the Highlands, however, the l)ird is a resident pest 

 — like the poor, always with us, and, sad to relate, 

 as little welcome. Amongst the mountains of the 

 north, especially in the littoral districts, the Hooded 

 Crow is certainly the commonest bird of the Crow 

 tribe. He practically replaces the Carrion Crow, 

 the familiar species of the southern shires. These 

 Hooded Crows are wary birds; they need to be, 

 or their race would soon be exterminated in Scot- 

 land. But for downright impudence and cunning 

 commend us to the Hooded Crows of St. Kilda. 

 These gray-coated rascals would allow us repeatedly 

 to approach them within a few paces; indeed, they 

 would sometimes allow us almost to kick them out 

 of our way, as the saying goes; but this was only as 

 long as we did not carry a gun. Had we such a 

 weapon with us the crafty fellows would invariably 

 keep at a safe distance. This was all the more re- 

 markable, for at the time of our visit and stay on 

 St. Kilda, in 1884, there was not a gun on the island 

 except the one we carried, so that the birds could 

 not have been taught to shun such an object by 

 experience. We might attempt an explanation of 

 the fact by suggesting that the birds became sus- 

 picious when they saw a person carrying an un- 

 familiar object; but against this we have the behaviour 



