174 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



out. Westwards the giant hills, which during 

 the ascent had been hidden by snow squalls, now 

 stood out in spotless white, and through the field- 

 glass one could almost see the drift blown 

 before the wind. During the descent we flushed 

 Grouse in such numbers as I have rarely seen 

 during the nesting season, and this despite the 

 statement by a keeper that the Peregrines were 

 numerous on the hill a statement which, of course, 

 \vas absolutely without foundation. On the 

 lower ground, too, we met with great numbers of 

 Golden Plover and Curlew, most of them with 

 young, although on our previous visit we had not 

 seen a single Golden Plover. 



I had hoped to obtain a series of photographs of 

 the young Peregrines at different stages of their 

 growth ; and with this view on the morning of 

 May 1 8th my companion and I set out before 

 five o'clock. A more depressing morning could 

 scarcely be imagined. A strong northerly wind 

 brought with it heavy squalls of sleet, and on the 

 hill we were caught in a blinding shower of snow, 

 with thick mist, so that we could only guess where 

 the rock was situated. Soon we saw it appear- 

 ing in the distance in a ghostly shape, and, just 

 as we reached the base, flushed a hen Grouse sitting 

 on her nest, which contained seven eggs. As the 

 wind was bitter and the ground powdered with 

 snow, incubation under such circumstances 

 could not be too pleasant a task. Climbing 

 the rock from the west side, we crept cautiously 

 to the summit, as the mist had lifted some- 

 what, and we expected every moment to see the 

 Peregrine leave her nest. But, alas ! for our hopes. 

 The nest was seen to be deserted, and I at once 



