Mr A. Craig, Jitn., on the Birds of GlcMurquhart. 103 



selves such a variety of scenery, every grade being more or 

 less represented, from the ricldy cultivated lands of its lower 

 parts to the barren desolate waste of the higher portions; 

 but without going further into details, this slight sketch will 

 be sufficient to show what is intended — namely, that a dis- 

 trict containing so many opposite characteristics, and so 

 favoured by nature in other respects, is more than likely to 

 be correspondingly rich in its bird life. That this is correct 

 I trust the following list will amply prove. With regard to 

 the names of birds included in it, I have been careful to avoid 

 putting down any about whose occurrence there is any doubt 

 — the greater proportion having actually come under my own 

 observation ; and those which I have not seen are inserted 

 on the authority of some friends whose testimony is thoroughly 

 reliable. 



Golden Eagle {Aquila chryscetus). 



A pair of these magnificent birds have bred for some years 

 on the precipitous slope of one of the spurs of Mealfourvonie, 

 a mountain about 3000 feet in altitude, and thus might have 

 continued to do so had not an accident befallen one of the 

 birds, which resulted in its death, when the remaining one 

 disappeared from the locality, and, as far as I am aware, it 

 has not yet returned with another mate. 



Kite {Milvus regcdis). 



A pair of these birds nested in the woods of Balmacaan 

 a year or two previous to 1865. They were shot, and are 

 now in the collection at Balmacaan House. As far as I can 

 learn these were the last kites observed in the Glen. 



Buzzard (BiUeo vulgaris). 



At one time by no means uncommon, and still occurring 

 occasionally, notwithstanding the inveterate hostility of the 

 numerous gamekeepers on the estate, whose mission in life 

 seems to consist in the destruction of every living thing 

 which actually is or is supposed to be detrimental to " game." 

 The same cause militates against the increase, or one might 

 almost say the very existence, of all birds of prey, including 



