Professor Dans on Zoolof/y of Mid-LocUaJjer. IGl 



heron. This bird seemed making its way to tlic stream 

 which drains the loch — Allt Coire an Lochan. Suddenly 

 another bird came sailing grandly round the corner of the 

 precipice, then turned back, wheeling widely, and passed out 

 of sight as quickly as it had come in view. My glass was in 

 its case, and before I could bring it to bear on the bird it had 

 passed away. I had before seen the llight of the golden 

 eagle in the Outer Hebrides, and have no doubt I liad now 

 got a glimpse of another, in the heart of even grander sur- 

 roundings. But I am inclined to think the keeper was mis- 

 taken as to its nesting here this season. Inquiries were 

 made of friends who are well acquainted with the mountain, 

 and of others who had recently gone to the top, but they had 

 not seen this bird. It is not very likely that a pair could be 

 nesting in the locality without being seen. A shepherd to 

 whom I spoke afterwards, and who had been about thirty 

 years in the neighbourhood, said he knew the bird well, but 

 he had not observed it for several years. It is thus probable 

 that the bird was a chance visitor. It should, however, be 

 mentioned that the keeper said, " they are seldom seen on 

 the west of the mountain." When it came in view I was 

 preparing to measure a huge boulder of felstone porphyrite 

 lying at a height of nearly 3000 feet. When about 1000 

 feet higher, and nearing the summit, a dark, grey, thick mist 

 swathed the mountain in a cold, damp, dreary gloom, shut- 

 ting out the view of everything except the bare loose stones 

 for a few feet around. Out of the gloom, and as if far below 

 me, came a shrill cry — half yelp, half scream, — which I 

 ascribed to the same bird. A farmer informed me that he 

 had seen the golden eagle in Glen Nevis in the winter of 

 1879-80. 



The red kite {Milvus rcgcdis). — I quote from my note-book: 

 — " June 11, 1881. On a height to the north-west of Dun- 

 dhairdghall (Dun Jardil), where are the remains of a vitrified 

 fort, I met an intelligent J^oung farmer, who was on his way 

 across the hills to visit some sheep on a distant part of his 

 farm. * Are there many large hawks about ? ' I asked. 

 ' The peregrine falcon,' he said, * and two sorts of buzzard 

 are met with.' * But look there,' he exclaimed, as he directed 



VOL. VII. L 



