130 NATURAL HISTORY AND 



bird ; and when searching for vermin last May, the 

 constant crash of the wood-dove from her wicker 

 saucer of two eggs, gave token of flocks that would 

 congregate in autumn and never separate until 

 " the time of the singing of birds is come, and the 

 voice of the turtle is heard in the land." 



When the fruits and berries of early harvest 

 begin to ripen, numberless small companies of 

 wood-pigeons shelter in the shaggy copses of the 

 Kyles, which soon unite into large assemblies 

 under the spreading branches of the old beech- 

 trees, to regale on their delicious nuts. So long 

 as there is abundance of this beech-mast food our 

 lawn beeches attract their myriads, which vie with 

 the rooks and starlings in giving cheerfulness and 

 animation even among the sere and yellow leaves 

 of the shortening day. 



The fine shoals of white fish that used to haunt 

 the bays of Bute, have of late years considerably 

 deserted them. In winter multitudes of " herring 

 hakes" are captured with the net many of large 

 size. I saw hampers full on Port-Bannatyne quay 

 all last January. They are good food when cut 

 into steaks and fried. A few days ago, a boy 



