LOCH TROUT. 171 



" Tongue, Sth June 1834. 



. . . . " First, let me say that I bad great delight in re- 

 ceiving your Saturday's letter at Lairg on Thursday after- 

 noon. I found I could not enjoy myself till I heard from 

 home, and the rest of the party had no objection to wait 

 till the Thursday's post from Golspie came in Ex- 

 cept the slaughter of the black-throated divers, and the dis- 

 covery of the widgeons' nests, nothing particular occurred 

 at Lairs;. We dissected the trouts of Loch Crau'gie, and 

 took notes of their structure, &c. In Loch Shin we 

 caught some of the young of the great loch trout, or 

 iStiimoferox, and popj>ed them into a barrel of whisky, 

 which we carry with us for that purpose. If you were a 

 sportswoman, I could fill a hundred letters with details 

 touching our capture of the finny race; but I fear such 

 matters would be tedious. 



We have already taken several specimens of Carabus 

 clathratus and glabratus, and other good insects. I have 

 occasionally found the fatigue of the business considerable, 

 the more especially as I had bee:i somewhat sedentary for 

 several months at home ; but I think I am improving in 

 strength every day, and I have already got a new skin to 

 one of my hands, and to half of my nose. By the time I 

 get as far as Mrs Scobie's I expect to be as brown as 

 Bacchus and as strong as Hercules. Sir William is most 

 assiduous, and, indeed, the whole party are very active, 



