Mr A. Craig, Jun., on the Birds of Glemtrquhart. 117 



to the public road; l)ut al'ter the first day or so tliey seemed 

 to change their minds, and did not proceed further with the 

 nest, in all likelihood having been frightened by passers-by. 

 This is a favourite cage bird with the Glen people ; and in 

 April or May they are easily caught by means of limed 

 sticks and a call bird. It is rather an interesting sight to 

 watch their capture. If the call bird is a female, the male 

 who is attracted by her cry circles round and round over- 

 head, with wings outspread, pouring out his song with his 

 utmost power, and gradually narrowing the circle until he 

 finally alights on the cage or the ground close beside, some- 

 times settling on the limed twigs at once, and on other occa- 

 sions running round the cage, still whistling, in vain endea- 

 vours to find an entrance. Few birds take so kindly to 

 confinement or become so tame as the siskin. Its otherwise 

 sweet song is spoiled by a harsh screech interjected every 

 now and then, which peculiarity renders it an easy matter to 

 distinguish between its singing and that of other small birds. 

 Flocks of siskins and redpoles often follow the crossbills in 

 their journeys through the woods, and take advantage of the 

 broken fir cones from which the seeds have not been all 

 extracted. 



Eedpole {Linota riifescens). 



Is abundant. Its habits are much akin to those of the 

 siskin, and is readily caught by bird-catchers. Its cry, 

 rather loud for such a small bird, has a dull guttural sound, 

 although that expression hardly conveys the proper effect. 

 The notes of birds are best learned from actual hearing, as 

 they can never be accurately represented by any written 

 description. A knowledge of the various distinctive notes is 

 of the utmost importance to the ornithologist, as without it 

 many species may be passed unnoticed. 



Mountain Linnet {Linota flavirostris). 



Common on the high and moorland parts, and easily dis- 

 tinguished from the former by its longer tail and the absence 

 of the red colour on the breast and crown of the head. The 

 rump has a carmine hue, but this cannot be seen unless the 



