Notes 071 HysgeiT, off Canna, and its Bird Life. 169 



infant in sore pain than any other sound. Farther down the 

 river was a lone mallard quietly floating in a deep pool, his 

 mate, no doubt, being near at hand in safe hiding with her 

 young. Then a solitary oyster-catcher from Loch Linnhe or 

 Loch Eil came flying up the river course, low to the water, 

 and uttering no cry." The jottings might be multiplied, but 

 let these suffice. They show how much there is to exercise 

 the habit of the eye in trying to acquaint one's self with the 

 birds of Lochaber. 



Eeptiles. 



The slow worm \(Anguis fragilis), midway between Bridge 

 of Lundy and Auchandall, east side of the road, July 2. 



The adder (Pelias herus), cruslied on the highway not far 

 from Garelochy, July 31. 



Common frog (Eana temporaria) , Ben Nevis, at a height of 

 about 2500 feet, July 16. 



Common toad (Bufo vulgaris), Torlundie, July 2. 



Smooth newt {Lissotriton jpunctatus), Corpach Moss, July 

 29. 



The species given in this list are — Mammalia, 26 ; Aves, 

 91 ; and Beptilia, 5. 



VIII. ^'Hysgeir, off Canna, and its Bird Life; ivith notice of 

 the breeding of the Bintail (Anas acuta, L) there in 

 1878 and 1881. By John A. Harvie-Brown, Esq^ 

 r.Z.S., r.R.S.E., etc. 



(Read 21st December 1881.) 



I have already contributed some accounts of other out- 

 lying rocks and skerries, and their bird life to the Natural 

 History Society of Glasgow, f and to the Norfolk and Nor- 



* Regarding the topographical value of the names of Haskeir and Hj'sgeir, 

 with their variations, I have received assistance from Mr J. Macpherson ; 

 but I will not speak of that here, as a better opportunity offers to me to do so 

 when speaking of Haskeir, off North Uist. 



t " Barra Head and its Bird Life" {Proc. N. H. Soc, Glasg., 27th April 

 1880) ; " St Abb's Head and its Bii'd Life " (read 1881, not yet published). 



