BIRDS OF LOCH MADDIE. 31 



After emerging from this splendid strath we arrived at the 

 edge of a wide loch with many green islands 011 it, called 

 Loch Madclie. Here again we put our boat afloat, and 



leaving our luggage, &c., under charge of Leo, while J 



fished, Mr. Dunbar and I went to search the islands in order 

 to discover what birds were breeding there. We found 

 several hooded crows' nests in the birch-trees on the islands, 

 where they had hitherto Jived and plundered in perfect 

 security. However, we destroyed their eggs and young 

 without mercy, and shot the birds themselves whenever and 

 wherever we could. 



The hooded crow is the only bird against whom I wage 

 constant and unpitying warfare ; I have so constantly de- 

 tected them destroying my most favourite birds and their 

 eggs, that I have no pity on them. We also found in these 

 islands many nests of the Grey lag goose. To make sure of 

 the species I shot some of the old birds, it having been rather 

 a disputed question amongst several of my friends whether 

 the goose breeding in this country is the Grey lag (Anser 

 ferus) or the Bean goose (Anser segetum). All the geese on 

 Loch Maddie were the Grey lag ; indeed I never saw any of 

 the Beau geese breeding in Sutherland, excepting on the 

 islands of Loch Shin, where a few still breed annually in 

 spite of the constant and cruel warfare waged against them. 

 The number of eggs in each nest was from four to seven, and 

 they had all been apparently sat upon for some time: indeed 

 we found one brood of young birds at least four or five days 

 old. This being on the 18th of May, proved that this bird 

 arrives at its breeding-place very early. A goose sits a month, 

 so that supposing these young birds were four days old, it 

 carries back the time when the old bird commenced sitting 

 to the 14th of April ; and then allowing ten days for the 

 bird to prepare her nest and lay her eggs, the Grey lag goose 

 cannot arrive at the breeding-places later than the 1st or 2nd 

 of April. The Bean goose arrives in Morayshire and that 

 part of Scotland from the south as nearly as possible in the 

 third week of March, their arrival a few days earlier or later 

 depending on the state of the weather ; and the flocks do not 

 leave that country till the 29th or 30th of April, some few 

 even remaining several days afterwards. Th's fact shows a 

 great distinction in the habits of the two kinds of geese ; for 

 while the Bean goose (Anser segetum) is still fattening on 

 the oat and pea fields, the Grey lag goose (Anser ferus) has 



