60 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. IV. 



my acquaintance. There were a pair of them, male 

 and female, feeding near the loch, in a little pool 

 which was covered with weeds of different kinds. 

 Nothing could be more graceful than the movements 

 of these two little birds as they swam about in 

 search of insects, etc. Sometimes they ran lightly 

 on the broad leaves of the water-lily, which served 

 them for a raft and entirely kept them out of the 

 water. Though not exactly web-footed, the phala- 

 rope swims with the greatest ease. The attachment 

 of these two birds to each other seemed very great : 

 whenever in their search for food they wandered so 

 far apart as to be hidden by the intervening weeds, 

 the male bird stopped feeding suddenly, and, look- 

 ing round, uttered a low and musical call of inquiry, 

 which was immediately answered by the female 

 in a different note, but perfectly expressive of her 

 answer, which one might suppose to be to the pur- 

 port that she was at hand and quite safe : on hear- 

 ing her the male immediately recommenced feeding, 

 but at the same time making his way towards her ; 

 she also flew to meet him : they then joined com- 

 pany for a moment or two, and after a few little 

 notes of endearment, turned off again in different 

 directions. This scene was repeated a dozen times 

 while I was watching them. They seemed to have 

 not the slightest fear of me, for frequently they 



