WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



and incidents that fell under my actual observation, will 

 at all events contain correct descriptions of the nature and 

 habits of the animals and birds of the country; though, not 

 being orginally intended for publication, they are not ar- 

 ranged in any regular order. Here and there I have quoted 

 some anecdote of animals, which I have heard from others: 

 these I can only offer as I received them, but I can safely 

 assert that I have quoted the words of those persons only 

 upon whose veracity and powers of observation I could 

 depend. My subject, as connected both to natural history 

 and sporting, has led me back to my former wanderings in 

 the more northern and wilder parts of the country, where 

 I had great opportunities of becoming acquainted with the 

 habits of the wilder and rarer birds and beasts, who are 

 natives of those districts; and the pursuit of whom always 

 had greater charms for me than the more commonplace 

 occupations of grouse or partridge shooting. 



I hope that my readers will be indulgent enough to make 

 allowances for the unfinished style of these sketches, and 

 the copious use of the first person singular, which I have 

 found it impossible to avoid whilst describing the advent- 

 ures which I have met with in this wild country, either 

 when toiling up the rocky heights of our most lofty mount- 

 ains, or cruising in a boat along the shores, where rocks 

 and caves give a chance of finding sea-fowl and otters; at 

 one time wandering over the desert sandhills of Moray, 

 where, on windy days, the light particles of drifting sand, 

 driven like snow along the surface of the ground, are per- 

 petually changing the outline and appearance of the dis- 

 trict; at another, among the swamps, in pursuit of wild 



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