SCENERY ON THE WAY. 79 



through a stone- built tunnel beneath us ; while up its 

 course might be seen a few solitary wild roses still 

 lingering in the shade, as though loath to withdraw 

 their charms from these lovely " neuks ; " and some- 

 times, above all, a slight rainbow hung suspended in 

 steaming spray. 



When we came to the open moor, we saw the cock 

 grouse stationed here and there, like a solitary sentinel 

 on some hillock, watching our approach with jealous 

 eye ; while now and then we detected a brood of young 

 birds crouching beneath some whin-bush. Presently, 

 we caught sight of a small bird skimming across the 

 muir in pursuit of a larger one, which, as they winged 

 their way nearer to us, proved to be a merlin and a 

 grouse. In vain the latter strained himself to the 

 utmost, and endeavoured to elude his ruthless pursuer. 

 They both crossed the road a few yards in advance of 

 us; and almost immediately afterwards the merlin 

 struck his prey to the ground. The courage of this 

 email species of hawk is very great. I am told that 

 they not unfrequently hover about the sportsman while 

 he is shooting on the moor; and a single merlin has 

 been known to strike down a wounded grouse consider- 

 ably larger than himself, within range of gun, and 

 without compunction or delay quietly commence tear- 

 ing up the prey. 



As we drove along, the lapwing was wheeling round 

 in the air, and broke the stillness of the solitude by her 

 mournful note ; occasionally joined by the whistle of 

 the curlew, as he hurried to his feeding-ground on 

 some lone marsh. Presently our road brought us once 

 more to the shore of the frith, which stretched, smooth 

 as glass, far as the eye could distinguish in one 

 direction, being there belted by a thin streak of white, 

 the breakers of the ocean ; while in the opposite 



