176 LOCH CRERAN. 



met ours unflinchingly. Leaving the nest of the larger 

 tit we stroll through the neighbouring garden, and stop 

 short in our walk, for beautifully placed in an espalier 

 apple tree is the compact nest of a chaffinch, so dexterously 

 worked into the gnarled branch with grey lichen that only 

 a practised eye can detect it. We have lately had our 

 attention called to the alleged fact that there is always a 

 chaffinch's nest in the vicinity of a missel thrush's, but 

 this we are not aware of ; and this year nor last have we 

 seen a missel thrush's nest anywhere in the district. 

 What can have become of this daring and predatory bird, 

 so unlike in character to our gentle mavis ; and what 

 possible " paction " could it make with the little " shilfa ?" 

 The seals have once more become common 'in both 

 Creran and Etive, and their splashing and dashing may 

 be heard these still evenings as they play upon the row 

 of boulders off the Cairn Rocks. They are both numer- 

 ous and fearless at present, and are no doubt able to feed 

 luxuriously without much labour, as our lochs are all full 

 of saithe. One boat caught upwards of 300 with the 

 rods in less than two hours, and one fisherman with the 

 rod caught 160 in less than an hour at Connel. So the 

 seals are lolloping about in playful companies, and 

 gambolling close inshore to our delectation. We were 

 amused with the movements of some mergansers in Loch 

 Etive, that had not completed their summer arrangements 

 last week. The duck was swimming quietly and uncon- 

 cernedly in the water near the shore, while two drakes 

 were careering around, making strenuous efforts, the one 

 to retain, the other to gain, possession of the coveted fair 

 one. Whether she had any partiality or no could not be 

 discovered, although she may have cast occasional glances 

 of encouragement at the new comer, who stuck so per- 



