38 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. III. 



ever, that a nest is still to be seen on a tree in 

 one of the large pine-woods in Strathspey. 



A very curious circumstance happened on the 

 same island, which strongly indicated the habits 

 of red deer during the season when their horns are 

 soft and liable to injury. The island, which is 

 scarcely a rifle-shot in length, and less in breadth, 

 is very rough, and cut up like an old peat moss, but 

 covered with very high heather and coarse grass, in 

 which the wild goose forms her nest. While I 

 was looking about quietly in the broken clefts and 

 ground for these nests, a large stag suddenly rose 

 at my very feet out of a deep hollow that is, 

 deep comparatively speaking, and just sufficiently 

 so for a stag to lie in. The wind was high, and 

 he either had not heard me or he remained quiet 

 in hopes that I should pass without perceiving 

 him ; at any rate he did not move till I nearly 

 stepped upon him. He then rose, and in two 

 springs was in the water and swimming strongly 

 and bravely for the opposite mountain. A stag 

 swims with very great speed and ease : in a short 

 time he reached the shore, which was a good half- 

 mile from the island, and having shaken himself, I 

 saw him through my glass take a long look back, 

 and then he trotted slowly up the shoulder of the 

 hill. In my numerous deer-stalking excursions I 



