viii PREFACE. 



I do not fear the criticism of the learned ; 

 my flight is far too humble to obtain even 

 their censure : nor do I aim at instructing 

 any of my readers, but solely at amusing 

 them. The scientific naturalist must excuse 

 my errors of description and my want of 

 skill : but thus far, and thus far only, I can 

 venture to say a good word in favour of 

 my rough notes — that they are the result 

 of actual and personal observation, and not 

 of hearsay or second-hand information ; and 

 that, therefore, some reliance may be placed 

 in them. 



The present volumes consist of extracts 

 from a Journal, written during a wandering 

 excursion through Sutherlandshire, one of 

 the most interesting counties in Scotland, 

 and one of the least known ; of a series of 

 field -notes for each month in the year, 

 written during my residence in the pleasant 

 land of Moray ; and of a few miscellaneous 



