1 6 LOCH CRERAN. 



the neighbouring fields, the work not having been to his 

 mind ! It is scarcely credible the rapidity with which 

 the streams swell with us ; and the deep descents having 

 hurled the drops from their dripping faces, with one 

 sudden movement apparently, return at once to their 

 customary tranquil, jog-trot existence. In a couple of 

 hours an impassible torrent was a moderate stream. 



A few years ago the sea-swallows fixed upon the little 

 half-islet in front of the cottages as a suitable place for 

 nesting, and built their nests as usual just beyond high 

 water of the big March spring-tides. It so happened 

 that two years in succession the July tides were higher, 

 and on account of heavy gales more destructive, than 

 usual, and overpassed the March marks, so that the 

 nests were unhappily overwhelmed. There was room* for 

 them somewhat higher up on the islet, but the beautiful 

 birds seem to have decided that the locality was unlucky, 

 and so we this year miss entirely their graceful forms from 

 the view in front. They did not return for several years. 

 They nest on one particular islet at the entrance to our 

 loch, and on the islets on Loch Etive. 



The question we have raised as to the cuckoo, 

 seems to us a very interesting one, and deserving of a 

 little more attention ; so we will state the problem more 

 definitely in order that the subject be investigated by 

 other observers. A few days ago we had another 

 cuckoo's egg brought us by a young friend and dexterous 

 bird-nester, who had taken it from the nest of a skylark, 

 in which were three eggs of the owner. This egg proved 

 to be quite fresh, and the chances are that it would be 

 hatched along with the eggs of the lark, and the 

 youngster would be obliged to thrust his companions 

 out. In the case of the egg formerly noted, the cuckoo 



