30 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. III. 



loch. On coming nearer we could distinguish the 

 white head of the female osprey on the nest. The 

 male bird was not in view. It was determined that 

 I should remain concealed near the loch, while my 

 two companions went for the boat. This plan was 

 adopted for the double reason that I might be at 

 hand to shoot any hooded crow who might attempt 

 to take the eggs while the osprey was off, she hav- 

 ing left the nest on our approach, and also that I 

 might have a chance of shooting the old osprey 

 herself in case she came within shot. I must say 

 that I would rather she had escaped this fate ; but 

 as her skin was wanted, I agreed to try to kill her. 

 For some time after the departure of my com- 

 panions she flew round and round at a great height, 

 occasionally drifting away with the high wind, and 

 then returning to the loch. She passed two or three 

 times not very far from me before I shot at her. 

 But at last I fired, and the poor bird, after wheeling 

 blindly about for a few moments, fell far to leeward 

 of me, and down amongst the most precipitous and 

 rocky part of the mountain, quite dead. She was 

 scarcely down behind the cliffs when I heard the 

 cry of an osprey in quite a different direction, and 

 on looking that way I saw the male bird flying 

 up from a great distance. As he came nearer I 

 could distinguish plainly with my glass that he 



