32 TOUR IN SUTHERLANDSHIIIK 



already laid, and is nearly hatching her eggs, in the wilds of 

 Sutherland. In one island, containing a few stunted birch- 

 trees, we saw an old osprey's nest, not now tenanted ; but I 

 am told that the old birds were inhabiting it two years ago. 

 The nest was most interesting : it was placed in a fork of 

 the tree so low that we could see into it without climbing, 

 and it consisted of a perfect cart-load of sticks, varying from 

 the size of a very stout walking-stick down to the twigs of 

 birch and heather of which the inner part of the fabric was 

 composed. I did not measure the nest, but as nearly as I 

 could guess, it was not less than eight feet in length, and 

 nearly four in width ; the depth too was very great ; the 

 inner lining was composed of a coarse kind of grass that 

 grows in these islands. Although the nest must have 

 weathered many a winter storm of wind, snow, and rain, and 

 was quite bleached, it was still fixed firmly in the fork of the 

 birch-tree. To have seen the ospreys building up this great 

 and strong mass would have repaid one for a journey of many 

 a long mile. 



Wilson mentions that in America the osprey builds con- 

 stantly in trees, but in this country it seldom does so, 

 probably from the want of trees suitable for the purpose. I 

 have been told, however, that a nest is still to be seen on a 

 tree in one of the large pine-woods in Strathspey. 



A very curious circumstance happened on the same island, 

 which strongly indicated the habits of red deer during the 

 season when their horns are soft and liable to injury. The 

 island, which is scarcely a rifle-shot in length, and less in 

 breadth, is very rough, and cut up like an old peat moss, but 

 covered with very high heather and coarse grass, in which 

 the wild goose forms her nest. While 1 was looking about 

 quietly in the broken clefts and ground for these nests, a 

 large stag suddenly rose at my feet out of a deep hollow 

 that is, deep comparatively speaking, and just sufficiently so 

 for a stag to lie in. The wind was high, and he either had 

 not heard me, or he remained quiet in hopes that I should 

 pass without perceiving him ; at any rate he did not move 

 till I nearly stepped upon him. He then rose, and in two 

 springs was in the water and swimming strongly and bravely 

 for the opposite mountain. A stag swims with very great 

 speed and ease : in a short time lie reached the shore, which 

 was a good half-mile from the island, and having shaken 

 himself, I saw him through my glass take a long look back, 



