Wanderings of a Naturalist 



of Sgor an Lochan Uaine, and even in Coire Bhrochain 

 of Braeriach, where it has usually disappeared by the end of 

 July. On Monadh Mor, near the head of Coire Chreagach, two 

 big fields of winter's snow were still undefeated, and indeed 

 remained, this season, until the fresh snows arrived. As I 

 reached the ruins of the sappers' hut, between the source of 

 Allt nan Taillear and the summit of Ben MacDhui, a thin 

 mist was enveloping all the hills and soon descended here 

 also. Rain commenced to fall, and when the summit cairn 

 (4,296 feet) was reached this had changed into soft snow, so 

 that the outlook was by no means bright. The wind was 

 almost due north but of little strength, and after half an hour 

 or so the clouds gradually cleared. At first Cairn Toul 

 appeared spectre-like for a moment, was blotted out, and then 

 stood out once more. Soon Braeriach was visible and then 

 Cairngorm, and with the passing of the shower the whole 

 range of the Cairngorms was, for the first time, entirely 

 mist-free. In the broad valley of the Spey bright sunshine 

 and clear air showed up each house and village, but all 

 around were dark showers and there was no distant view. 

 Just north-east of Ben MacDhui summit a large snowfield 

 still lingered, though relatively this was not so extensive as 

 the field in the Garbh Choire. 



An interesting discovery was made a few hundred yards 

 from the summit cairn, on the north side of the hill, namely, 

 the mummified remains of a redwing which had probably 

 become exhausted in a storm during migration and had been 

 buried and preserved in the snow. In June of that year, 

 curiously enough, I had found, almost at the same spot, the 

 well-preserved remains of a lapwing evidently just uncovered 

 by the snow, which had melted only a few days previously. 

 As the lapwing is essentially a bird of the low country, this 

 unfortunate member of the species must also have perished 

 on migration. 



At a height of well over 4,000 feet two golden plover 

 passed me just as the mist was commencing to clear. They 



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