GIL VI. STALKING THE OSPREY 91 



the two miles into at least five, when we came with- 

 in view of a larger loch, which seemed to wind 

 round the hills to nearly where the sea was. In 

 this we again descried the peculiar-shaped rock on 

 which the osprey builds. Although we were too far 

 off to distinguish either nest or bird, we at once, 

 without hesitation, made for the loch, over the 

 rocks and swamps of which the whole line of country 

 seemed to consist, and our perseverance was re- 

 warded by presently making out that one osprey 

 was on the nest, and the other soaring above her. 

 Dunbar again swam off to the rock, which was 

 about the same distance from the shore as the last 

 one was, and found three young birds in the nest, 

 which he brought to land in his cap. I saw the 

 male osprey perch on a rock on the opposite side of 

 the loch, where he sat lazily, and apparently not 

 inclined to join the female in her rapid flight round 

 Dunbar's head ; on looking at him attentively, 

 through the glass, I saw, or fancied that I saw, his 

 crop much distended with food. Knowing that if 

 this was the case he would probably remain on his 

 perch for some time, I started off round the loch, 

 taking a long circuit in order to approach him from 

 behind and from above. I had not calculated on 

 the rocks I had to climb and the passes I had to 

 take to get at him, or I do not think that I should 



