OSPREY. 183 



and several specimens have been procured from 

 thence. Two were shot on the property of Lord 

 Home, while frequenting some extensive sheets 

 of water, the resort of immense quantities of 

 water-fowl ; and another was killed on the river 

 in 1835. Crossing the Forth, we shall find a pair 

 at least, frequenting each of the larger lochs ; 

 and in Ross and Sutherland they are even more 

 abundant. In some districts, four or five may 

 be seen during the day ; and at the mouth of 

 the Laxford, in the latter county, we daily saw 

 from two to four fishing at the retreat of the 

 tide ; three were frequently seen fishing at a 

 time. 



It is north of the Forth, also, that the Osprey 

 breeds, for we have no recorded instance of the 

 duties of incubation being performed in the south. 

 The numerous lochs of the Highlands are thickly 

 studded with islands, wild and rocky, rich and 

 picturesque. On many of them, are the remains 

 of buildings, towers or eastles, created in the 

 cause of religion or of war, but now crumbling 

 fast with the advance of time. The chimney of 

 these, or, if it be wanting, the highest pinnacle of 

 the ruin, is selected for the site of the eyry, and 

 on this is built a nest of large and unwieldy 

 structure, composed of sticks and branches. On 

 some islands where no ruin stands, the highest 

 rock is chosen ; and on Loch Menteith, the old 



