LETTER XVII. 117 



subject, and I cannot help feeling satisfied that he was not mis- 

 taken, as he is well acquainted with all our birds, possesses the 

 visual powers of the hawk tribe, and is a disciple whose develop- 

 ment of the sporting faculties bids fair to surpass those of his 

 patron. 



I am obliged to E. K. B. for his corroboration of my state- 

 ments concerning the friendly terms on which the Choughs live with 

 the Jackdaws, and in return bear full witness to the truth and 

 correctness of his description of the grief of the survivor when 

 one of a pair of Choughs is killed. Three times I have had 

 occasion to shoot at a Chough, and each time I was obliged to 

 shoot at its mate also, partly out of pity for her grief and also 

 because I felt rather ashamed of myself, as she kept close to me, 

 filling the air with her noisy lamentations and execrations of my 

 cruelty, impelling me to repeat the deed of blood. If it has 

 been observed sometimes that the Chough disappears at the same 

 time as the Jackdaw begins to increase in numbers, may not 

 this be owing to some change in the character of the locality, 

 such as extensive agricultural operations and increased population, 

 which may have the effect of disgusting one bird while it 

 attracts the other ? Thus, I certainly am of opinion that free 

 trade and opening the ports has brought the Eooks to lona ! 

 Why, what connection is there between political questions and 

 ornithology ? Eooks indeed ! Why, free trade, &c., only affects 

 the farmers, not the " parsons." Well, I'll tell you. Since the ports 

 were opened to the importation of foreign cattle, the rearing of 

 black cattle has been almost abandoned in these parts of the 

 Highlands ; consequently sheep have taken their place, and in 



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