74 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP, vm 



They feed a great deal on the shore. When flying they keep in 

 close rank, but as soon as they alight the whole company instantly 

 disperse, and run (not jump, like many small birds) quickly 

 about in search of their food, which consists principally of small 

 insects and minute seeds. They often pitch to look for these on 

 the barest parts of the sand-hills, the dry sands always producing 

 a number of small flies and beetles. So tine and dry is the sand 

 which composes the hillocks and plains of that curious district, 

 that every beetle and fly that walks or crawls over its surface in 

 calm and dry weather leaves its track as distinctly marked on 

 the finely pulverised particles, as the rabbit or hare does on 

 snow. The foot-prints of the lizards, which abound there, are 

 very neatly and distinctly marked, till the first breath of wind 

 drifting the sand erases the impressions. One of my children 

 brought home a large lizard one day, and put it into a box, intend- 

 ing to keep it as a pet ; boys having strange tastes in the animals 

 which they select as favourites. I remember that when I was a 

 boy at school, I was the owner of three living pets a rat, a bat. 

 and a snake, all of which lived and flourished for some months 

 under my tender care, notwithstanding the occasional edicts sent 

 forth from head-quarters against any living animal whatever 

 being kept in the school-room. But to return to the lizard in 

 the box. The next morning, to the children's great delight, the 

 lizard had become much reduced in circumference, but had pro- 

 duced four young ones, who were apparently in full and vigorous 

 enjoyment of life. They were voted, at a consultation of the 

 children, to be entitled to, and worthy of liberty, and were all 

 (mother and children) carefully put into the garden, in a sunny 

 corner under the wall. For my own part, I can see nothing 

 more disgusting in animals usually called reptiles, such as lizards 

 and toads, than in any other living creatures. A toad is a most 

 useful member of society, and deserves the freedom of all flori- 

 cultural societies, as well as entire immunity from all the pains and 

 penalties which he undergoes at the hands of the ignorant and 

 vulgar. In hotbeds and hothouses he is extremely useful, and 

 many gardeners take great care of toads in these places, where 

 they do good service by destroying beetles and other insects. In 

 the flower-beds too they are of similar use. Of quiet and do- 

 mestic habits, the toad seldom seems to wander far from his 



