198 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



murcus is still famed for being one of the very few- 

 places where the nearly extinct osprey yet breeds, 

 as on Loch-an-Eilean they continue to nest on a 

 small island in the middle of a lake ; here also, in 

 1526, there took refuge one James Malcolmson, who 

 had murdered his kinsman, Lauchlan Mackintosh, 

 " a verrie honest and wise gentleman;" the water- 

 girt shelter, however, was of no avail, for during a 

 dark night Lauchlan's friends crossed to the isle, 

 surprised, and slew the assassin. 



FOREST OF STRUY BY BEAULY. 



This is another of Lord Lovat's forests, of about 

 18,000 acres of big- featured high ground, very similar 

 to Braulen, and now let on a long lease to Mr. 

 Douglas H. Barry. Cleared in 1885, it is wholly 

 surrounded by other deer grounds, for it marches 

 with Braulen on the west, Strathconan on the north, 

 Erchless on the east, and Cannich with Fasnakyle 

 on the south ; there is no absolute sanctuary, but 

 the hill of Cam Ban, 2,410 feet, is kept quiet till 



