282 THE DEER FORESTS OF SCOTLAND. 



odd name. The story runs that some children, once 

 playing on the loch shore, seeing an animal like a horse, 

 climbed on to its back for a ride ; one by one they 

 mounted, but as each seated himself on the beast their 

 fingers stuck fast to the hide, and they were held 

 prisoners, while the animal dashed off towards the 

 loch. One little fellow threw himself off, only to 

 reach the ground with the loss of his fingers, and 

 then running off home, gave the alarm, but no trace of 

 horse or the other children could be found. On the 

 following morning, however, the lungs of the other 

 boys were found floating on the loch, and hence it 

 took its name. Like many other parts of the north, 

 this forest, there can be no doubt, was formerly 

 densely wooded, traces of old trees being found in 

 all parts, but how or when these woods were destroyed 

 will ever remain an open question, although in the 

 account of Braemore Forest there will be found a 

 plausible theory for their disappearance. 



