ITS EXTINCTION 7 



opinions differ; but it seems that, to some 

 extent at least, forests were destroyed for the 

 purpose of exterminating the wolves. In 

 Stuart's Lays of the Deer Forest it is told how 

 Oliver Cromwell caused great areas of oak and 

 fir woods in Lochaber to be burnt for this 

 purpose ; and the like measures were carried 

 out in other localities. 



Whether from considerable change of climate, 

 as some think, or from whatever cause, the 

 nature of the Caledonian forests appears to 

 have become gradually much modified. Harvie- 

 Brown and Buckley 1 have this note from the 

 late Lord Tweedmouth, referring to trees at 

 Strath Glass : ' Sir Roderick Murchison's theory 

 was that the fir had succeeded the Oak tree here, 

 that the birch would supplant the fir, and oak 

 would follow the birch, not in our time but in the 

 future.' Now we find singular confirmation of 

 this theory in the picturesque wood which fringes 

 Loch Tulla, immediately opposite Lord Breadal- 

 bane's beautiful shooting lodge at the Black 

 Mount. This wood is marked on the map, and 

 known in the district to this day as the ' Doire 

 daraich ' the oak-grove ; yet it consists of 

 magnificent old twisted and gnarled Scots firs, 

 with a little birch on the outskirts ; but not a 



1 Fauna of the Moray Basin. 



