190 FIELD NOTES FOR THE YEAR. 



on the nearly ripe wheat-field, on the produce of which he 

 mainly depends for paying his rent. Nevertheless, were he 

 to examine the crops of any of these wild birds, and see what 

 they were filled with during three-fourths of the year, he 

 would find that they fully recompense him for all the grain 

 they devour. Undoubtedly a considerable quantity of newly- 

 sown wheat is eaten by different birds. Sea-gulls, amongst 

 others, seem to swallow the grain indiscriminately with the 

 grubs and worms turned up by the harrows ; and large flocks 

 of greenfinches and buntings are busily occupied in searching 

 for whatever corn is not well covered over. The wild ducks, 

 too, come at night to shovel up what remains in the furrows. 



This is the season at which partridges migrate from the 

 high grounds to the cultivated fields. Fresh unbroken 

 coveys frequently appear near the lower part of the river : 

 sometimes they come in flocks of twenty or thirty. In damp 

 weather these birds seek the dry and warm ground on the 

 sandy places about the lower islands, and appear entirely 

 to desert the fields excepting at feeding time. 



The water-ousel enlivens the burn now by its low but 

 sweet note, uttered either while perched on its accustomed 

 stone in the midst of a rapid, or whilst floating with open 

 wings on the surface of a quiet pool a method of proceeding 

 quite peculiar to this interesting little bird. The salmon 

 fishers wage war to the knife with the water-ousel; and, 

 indeed, I have no doubt that it is not a little destructive to 

 the spawning beds, though I am inclined to think that it 

 attacks the trout spawn more frequently than that of the 

 salmon. If so, this bird also does fully as much good as 

 harm ; the most deadly enemy to salmon being the larger 

 burn trout, whose favourite food is, undoubtedly, the ova of 

 the salmon. 



The trout now betake themselves to every running stream, 

 working their way up the narrowest rills, in order to place 

 their spawn. 



At this time of the year the otters are constant visitors at 

 the lower parts of the river, searching for flounders, eels, &c. 

 There are certain small hillocks which every otter as he 

 passes appears to examine in order to find the trace of any 

 chance stranger of his own species. There are now two old 

 ones and two young ones hunting the lower part of the 

 Findhorn ; their presence is always easily detected by their 

 tracks on the sandy banks, as they constantly leave the 



