JACK-SNIPE. 177 



seeing that the breeding of that species in Britain was un- 

 known. This quarter of the island seems, in fact, to be 

 the great breeding quarters of many of those bLfds which 

 visit the southern districts only during winter. We this 

 morning dissected one of the large trouts, measured his 

 guts, counted his teeth, and compared his intf rnals with 

 those of the common species. Selby made a portrait in 

 oils of the other. Tor a day or two among the birch 

 woods, we have been catching specimens of a very 

 large hymenopterous insect, allied to Tenthreclo, but with 

 knobbed antennas. He is as big as Sirex gigas, thicker 

 but not quite so long. I know the genus, though, as usual, 

 I forget his name. Sir William is off this morning to a 

 marsh among the mountains, where it is reported by one 

 of the Duke's gamekeepers who has been deputed to at- 

 tend us, that a small species of snipe, called the Jack-snipe, 

 builds its nest. It is not yet known as a British builder. 

 We have had a couple of eagles eggs' brought to us just 

 now. But I must stop for the present ; we leave Tongue 

 to-morrow. Good bye." 



"Eribol, 12th June. 



" We left Tongue this morning in our carriage, but were 



long impeded in our progress by a short frith or ferry, 



called the Kyle of Tongue ; which, under ordinary ircum- 



stances, we might almost have swam across, but the ferry- 



M 



