END OF SOJOURN IN MORAY. 205 



the place ; but I stopped him with a charge of duck shot : 

 the dog, though as steady as possible at all game, pursued 

 the fox full cry, and when he rolled over, worried and shook 

 him, as a bull-dog would a cat. 



December, in this part of the island, is seldom a very cold 

 or boisterous month ; our principal storms of snow and wind 

 come with the new year. Frequently indeed there is no 

 covering of snow on that part of the county which lies 

 within the influence of the sea-air till February. 



During the first days of snow and storm a constant immi- 

 gration of larks takes place ; these birds continuing to arrive 

 from seaward during the whole day, and frequently they 

 may be heard flying in after it is dark. They come flitting 

 over in a constant straggling stream, not in compact flocks ; 

 and pitching on the first piece of ground which they find 

 uncovered with snow, immediately begin searching for food ; 

 feeding indiscriminately on insects, small seeds, and even on 

 turnip leaves, when nothing else can be found. 



The wagtails frequent the sheepfolds near the shore, and 

 keep up an active search for the insects which are found 

 about these animals. 



And now having brought my readers (if the patience 

 of any of them has enabled them to follow me so far) to the 

 end of the year, and of my sojourn in Moray, I must say 

 Farewell. 



I have aimed neither at book-making, nor at giving a 

 scientific description or arrangement of birds and other 

 animals. All I wish is that my rough and irregularly put 

 together notes may afford a few moments of amusement to 

 the old ; and to the young not amusement only, but perhaps 

 an incitement to them to increase their knowledge of natural 

 history, the study of which in all its branches renders inter- 

 esting and full of enjoyment many a ramble and many an 

 hour 'in the country which might otherwise be passed 

 tediously and unprofitably. We all know that there is 

 scarcely a foot of ground that is not tenanted by some living 

 creature, which, .though it may offer itself to our observation 

 in the lowly shape of an insect or even a minute shell, is as 

 perfect in all it features and parts, in its habits and instincts, 

 and as demonstrative of the surpassing wisdom and power 

 14 



