OCT. FIELD-MICE — GEESE — WADERS. 33 



net, and is drowned in it. More frequently, how- 

 ever, the twine is damaged and torn by the larger 

 seals, who are too strong and cunning to be so 

 easily caught. 



Frequently on this barren peninsula I have 

 fallen in with a small colony of field-mice. They 

 are in shape like the common large-headed and 

 short -tailed mouse, which is so destructive in 

 gardens, but of a brighter and lighter colour. These 

 little animals must live on the seeds of the bent 

 and on such dead fish as they may fall in with. 



The brent goose is not a constant visitor here in 

 the winter. This bird, though very numerous in 

 the Cromarty Firth, does not find in this part of the 

 coast the particular kind of sea-grass on which it 

 feeds. There are generally, however, a small com- 

 pany of these geese about the basin. A few white- 

 fronted geese are constantly here from October to 

 April or May, living either in the lonely mosses 

 near the sea, or about the sands. Of other wild- 

 geese we have no large flocks, except during the 

 time of sowing the oats, when bean-geese arrive in 

 great numbers. 



This bay, like that of Findhorn, is always swarm- 

 ing with loaders of every description, from the cur- 

 lew to the redshank, and from the smallest kind of 

 sandpiper to the old man we see yonder, who is 



VOL. II. d 



