ANSER FERUS. 50d 
§ 5396. Four-—Loch Shin, Sutherland, 25-27 May, 1848. 
From Mr. W. Dunbar. 
[These sent under the name of ‘‘ Bean Goose,” which was then believed by 
Mr. Dunbar, and through him by Mr. St. John (Tour in Suth. i. p. 36), to be 
the species breeding in this loch (cf. § 5400). ] 
§ 5397. Two.+-Loch Meadie, Sutherland, 11 May, 1849. 
“Bird: shots, 7J.cW 
On Loch Meadie I visited eight of the islands—on the northern- 
most one of which were Geese and an Eagle’s. nest [ef. supra, vol. 1. 
p. 55]. Some days before my visit Mr. Donald Campbell’s brother 
had taken off one of the islands a sitting of Goose’s eggs, and thev 
were under ahen at the farm at Moudala. The island where I found 
this nest had not been visited for some years, as it was believed to 
have too short heather to contain anything, as it had been burnt to 
unharbour a fox. However, we found it beautifully long. These 
little islets are the most lovely spots. Heather and fern perhaps 
three feet high growing on a delightful bed of dry moss. The 
Goose’s nest was on one of the highest points of the island, perhaps 
twenty feet from the water’s edge. The bird rose when I was within 
a yard of the nest and flapped direct to the nearest water, and I shot 
her just as she reached it. (She is now preserving at Mr. Duncan’s 
at Newcastle, 3 Sept., 1850.) The nest made of down and little bits 
of dry heather. I saw several others of these Geese on Loch Meadie. 
On Loch Naver I believe a few breed at the far end. 
§ 5398. FMour.—Loch Shin, 14 May, 1849. “J. W.” 
From Lairg I walked to Shinness, a farmhouse where I saw the 
herd Thomson, and then by the mouth of the Fiag river to Over- 
skaig, John Oliver’s. Isaw several Geese, two of which I believed to 
be Bean ; but on putting a Goose off the nest close to me, it appeared 
to be a Grey Lag, and just afterwards I saw some Grey Lags flying. 
The nest was made of thin soft grass, and there were four eggs in it 
newly laid. Six feet off a Wild Duck got up off nine eggs just at the 
same moment. It was not far from the entrance of the Fiag river 
on a kind of large promontory. I was walking along between a low 
bank and the edge of the water, among a small quantity of heather, 
two or three feet high, I was wearing a macintosh cape, when 
suddenly the Goose got up at my feet. Of course the gun got 
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