LOCH CRERAN. 



Frequently, too, they are diseased, for it is an old-fashioned 

 idea to suppose that wild animals, and fish especially, are 

 free from the ills that flesh is heir to. Many hundreds 

 of livers have we seen in various states of disease, and 

 skates have been found floating on the surface of the 

 water in such a condition from over-production of oily 

 liver that they could not descend, from the floating power 

 of the buoy they had been cursed with. 



We were walking down to the gate with a friend when 

 a fine, bold-looking bird, with a splendid flight, a forked- 

 tail of swallow-like proportions, and a general hawk-like 

 look about the head and eye, sailed past us within a very 

 few yards and disappeared. It was quite unfamiliar to us, 

 and proved to be our first close introduction to Richard- 

 son's skua (Lestris Richardsonii) y the sea hawk, of which 

 and its congeners we hear so many tales. This predatory 

 gull is a very handsome bird, with a fine carriage, and 

 nothing of the sneak in his appearance at any rate. We 

 are given to understand that one or two have been shot 

 in this district in recent times ; but it is not a common 

 bird by any means anywhere, although more abundant in 

 the northern portion of the kingdom. 



She did it quite coolly and with pre-arranged dexterity : 

 that at least was perfectly apparent ! Given a wire fence 

 with too few wires, a well-cropped field on the one side 

 and a well-grown crop on the other, and the necessary 

 stimulus to intelligence and exertion was supplied. So 

 the cow deliberately walked up to the fence, and went 

 through it like a human being. First she slipped her 

 head neatly between the two wires, then she got her fore 

 legs over, and drew her hind legs one by one after her, 

 all in the most systematic manner. There were a lot of 

 companions with her, but not one followed or attempted 



