346 NETHER LOCHABER. 



and general fragility of the shell, is doubtless due to an impaired 

 vitality, quoad hoc, consequent upon the prodigality of energy 

 thrown into the loves and labours of rearing the first or spring 

 brood. 



On this occasion, too, a pair of blackbirds began a nest de novo, 

 either despising the labours of mere repairing, or having no old 

 nest, perhaps, to repair. The blackbirds, however, wiser than the 

 sparrows, left off before a third the lower flat, so to speak of 

 their building was finished ; as if they had duly thought it all over 

 again, and had wisely concluded that it was better to wait till 

 spring, it being manifestly too late to finish a nest and attempt to 

 rear a brood any more this season. We fully expected to see the 

 redbreast, and wren perhaps, also attempt the rearing of an " Indian 

 summer" brood; and had they tried, they might, perhaps, have 

 succeeded, for both birds in such circumstances select cozy corners 

 about open sheds and out-houses, where they are pretty safe from 

 the assaults of the weather, and can always find suitable food in 

 more or less abundance. So far as we could see, however, they 

 never once thought of anything like love-making or nidification, 

 contenting themselves with thoroughly enjoying the calm and sun- 

 shine while it lasted, as was abundantly, and, so far as we were 

 concerned, very delightfully evidenced by the frequency of their 

 loud and lightsome song. 



A recent paragraph in the newspapers about Provost Eobertson 

 of Dingwall, whose daughter was Mr. Gladstone's mother, reminds 

 us of an anecdote which was told us some years ago by the late 

 Mrs. Morrison of Salachan, in Ardgour, an old lady whose reminis- 

 cences of the people of the Hebrides and mainland of Ross-shire, 

 about the beginning of the present century, were extremely in- 

 teresting. Provost Eobertson of Dingwall Mr. Gladstone's grand- 

 father by the mother's side on one occasion paid a visit to London, 

 for the first, and, we believe, the only time in his life. His friends 



