PRINCES OF THE AIR. 173 



the same purpose; for, as a general rule, the snow 

 descends and lingers on the hills, down to a certain 

 level, in a certain temperature ; the colder the air, the 

 lower the line of snow; and this is often observable 

 for an extent of many miles. So that an experienced 

 eye can tell, even with some degree of accuracy, the 

 degree of cold from the depth of the skirts of the 

 snowy mantle that robes the mountain-side. 



But to return. As we passed beneath the Creag-an- 

 Islair, we observed an eagle soaring through the snow- 

 cloud, his course being towards the sea. Presently a 

 second was visible, wheeling majestically above the 

 summits of the craig ; and as we now mounted the hill 

 on the opposite side of the strath, a third made his 

 appearance, both of them soon following in the line 

 taken by the first. 



This, Gillespie assures us, was an omen foreboding 

 no good. It was quite clear that these " winged 

 princes of the air " anticipated something more than a 

 passing fall of snow, or why should all three have 

 unanimously betaken themselves down to the neigh- 

 bourhood of the sea, where snow never lies long, 

 unless it were that instinct had taught them that their 

 usual haunts in the mountain would shortly be 

 untenantable ? However we were not to be easily 

 intimidated ; and, thinking that it was scarcely yet late 

 enough in the season for the snow to fall in great 

 quantity, we still hoped for better things and held on 

 our way. 



On reaching the top of the ridge, the scene which 

 presented itself was both novel and extremely beautiful. 

 The highest parts of all the hills around were robed in 

 a veil of snow, so dazzlingly pure that the eye sought 

 relief after dwelling upon it for a moment, and yet so 



