CHAP, xxm.] FINDHORN HERONRY. 189 



he will follow the example of his predecessor in the place, who 

 was washed away one fine day from the rock, and not found for 

 some days, when his body was taken out of the river several 

 miles below. " In these pools (every one of which has a name) 

 you will see some sportsman angling, not like the sans-culottc 

 shepherd's boy at Coignafern, with his hazel-wand and line 

 made by himself, but here you have a well-equipped and well- 

 accoutred follower of the gentle craft in waterproof overalls, 

 and armed with London rod and Dublin fly, tempting the 

 salmon from their element with a bright but indefinable mixture 

 of feathers, pigs'-wool, and gold thread ; while his attendant, 

 stretched at his ease, wonders at the labour his master under- 

 takes, and watches quietly the salmon as he rises from some dark 

 abyss of the water, poises himself fora moment steadily opposite 

 the glittering hook, makes a dash rapid as thought at it, and 

 then swims slowly back to his ambuscade in the depth of the 

 water, not aware, till he feels the jerk of the line, that he is 

 carrying with him, not a painted dragon-fly, but a carefully 

 prepared and strong weapon of death, which he will only get 

 quit of with his life. The nets are at work too, sweeping a 

 deep and quiet pool, but seldom with much success, owing to 

 the inequalities of the bottom of the river. Making a wide 

 turn here, the river passes by an object of great interest, the 

 Findhorn heronry, a collection of these birds quite unique in 

 their way. They have taken possession of a number of old 

 trees growing on the Darnaway side of the river, and here, year 

 after year, they repair their old nests and bring up their young, 

 not frightened away by the frequenters of a walk which passes 

 immediately under their nests. Numbers of the old birds may 

 be seen sitting motionless on the dead branches, or perched on 

 the very topmost twig of a larch or birch-tree. 



Sometimes the peregrine, on his way to Sluie, passes quickly 

 through the midst of the community, while a constant chattering 

 is kept up by the numberless jackdaws who breed in holes of the 

 rock on the Altyre side, and keep flying in and out from far 

 below the spot where you are standing. Far as you can see, 

 and indeed still farther, are stretched the forests of Darnaway 

 and Altyre. Following the river, or rather keeping the top of 

 the bank above it, a new and most striking view meets your eye. 



