TOUR IX SUTHEELANDSHIBE. 



the breeding habits and localities of many of the rarer birds 

 of Britain, and to ascertain the fact of some of these birds 

 rearing their young in Scotland, which, from the contradictory 

 and uncertain statements of many naturalists, seemed to be a 

 nwtler of great doubt. Not being a collector of eggs or birds 

 myself, I had no wish to destroy more of my feathered friends 

 than sufficed to prove their identity, and to procure a few 

 specimens for a gentleman who is as great a lover of nature 

 as myself, and a far more scientific one. 



Our start from Bonar Bridge was a most amusing affair, 

 not only to ourselves, but also to all the inhabitants of that 

 small but beautifully situated village. The vehicle which we 

 travelled in was a small and lightly built flat-bottomed boat, 

 made of larch, and mounted on wheels. It was constructed 

 to ship and unship in half a minute. By simply imscrewing 

 two bolts, it could be taken off' its wheels and launched into 

 the, water. Being on springs, it made a very easy carriage, 

 and was large enough to hold four persons, with plenty of 

 space for luggage. On the present occasion our party con- 

 sisted of a friend of mine, Mr. J., who (although for many 

 years a wanderer over Switzerland and many parts of 

 Europe) had never been through the wilder and more 

 mountainous regions of Scotland ; Mr. Uunbar, whose assist- 

 ance was of much use as a naturalist and interpreter 

 amongst the shepherds and others who spoke more Gaelic 

 than English ; myself, and Leo, my retriever. 



Having adjusted the harness, traces, &c., of the boat to my 

 horse (a stout Highland " garron "), we started at an early 

 hour, trusting to the chapter of accidents and the pace of our 

 horse as to where we should sleep that night, but determined 

 to make out as many miles as we could, or in other words to 

 advance as far as possible into the mountainous part of 

 Sutherlandshire. Bonar Bridge is situated on what is called 

 the Kyle of Sutherland ; a narrow estuary formed by the 

 confluence of the Shin, Oykel, Casselia, and Anak -rivers, all 

 of which streams, a short distance above Bonar Bridge meet 

 the salt water of the Dornoch Firth. In winter this 'water 

 abounds with wild fowl, but now (May 14) all these birds 

 had gone to their breeding-places with the exception of a 

 solitary goodwit or two, who seemed to have been left 

 Jhind the rest of their comrades, this bird not breeding in 

 Sco land. The woods about Eosehall, or rather that portion 



them which the axe has spared, used to abound in nrmy 



