Wanderings of a Naturalist 



Reaching the ridge about the 3,000-foot level, I found an 

 average depth of two feet of snow covering the hill. On 

 each rock and stone feathery ice crystals stood out, fern-like 

 in form. Across the glen, Braeriach was mist-capped, but 

 on its lower slopes the air was clear, and at times a gleam 

 of sun lit up the snowy expanse. Contrasting strongly with 

 the snow-clad landscape, the dark waters of Loch Einich lay 

 almost immediately beneath me, while south-east from the 

 head of the loch Beinn Bhrotain and Monadh Mor, in the 

 Forest of Mar, stood out clearly, their summits nearly in 

 cloud. In a wild snow-clad corrie about a mile to the west 

 a number of stags lay in the snow. I was surprised to see 

 them so far up in such Arctic weather, but that particular 

 season the deer were very backward in coming into condition, 

 and stalking was continued late, so that the stags took to the 

 high ground for safety. 



A thermometer exposed on the summit plateau showed 

 31 degrees Fahr. — one degree of frost — but the air was milder 

 than earlier in the day, and the wind backing to the west 

 brought with it driving clouds, so that the summit was soon 

 shrouded in mist and all view obscured. I noticed that day 

 for the first time the curious effect mist and a snow-covered 

 hillside have on the ptarmigan's wings as it takes flight. 

 The white wings are invisible and the bird appears to be 

 flying with its wing-stumps alone. 



Suddenly, only a few yards from me, there swept across 

 this snowy wilderness, almost Polar in its dreariness, a dark- 

 winged form, appearing gigantic in the mist. For a couple 

 of seconds he was in view, then disappeared in the gloom — 

 a golden eagle in his element. I have often wondered if the 

 eagle, for days perhaps above the mist line, is always sure 

 of his bearings — whether he knows exactly on what hillside 

 he is hunting. Not that it would matter, for the eagle's 

 domain is the high hills, and he is at home equally in storm 

 or in sunshine. 



The mist as yet did not descend far, and in the valley 



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