456 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



the summer snipes all left in winter, and also that the dunlins 

 returned in larger trips at that season to the coast ; he had 

 therefore concluded that they were one and the same bird. 

 We were both sorry to part with this kind old man. The last 

 we saw of him was sitting watching our skiff from a rock until 

 a headland suddenly intercepted the view. 



In walking up the steep brae near Loch Layghal, we were 

 admiring the most natural scarecrow that ever defended a 

 corn or potato field. It had two leaning staffs, a tattered 

 hat, ragged coat and trousers, and a most imposing still-life 

 attitude. " How natural ! " I muttered to myself. Boss's ear 

 was quick, " Oh, sir, you'd be astonished to see some of them 

 here. They make them far more nat'ral than that." Scarcely 

 was this unlucky assertion hazarded, when the scarecrow, 

 which, like the Irish recruit, no doubt " stood up in the centre 

 of its best wardrobe," began to walk. Eoss looked extremely 

 queer, and we moved quicker on. Upon a sandbank in the 

 middle of Loch Layghal a solitary bird was resting. " What's 

 that ? " " A gull, sir." " Are you sure ? " " Oh yes, it's 

 one o' them gulls." I was fixing my telescope, when the gull 

 spread wing, and proved herself " An osprey," shouted I ; 

 " An aigle," cries Eoss in the same breath. These ornaments 

 of the Highland lochs are now so rare, that Eoss might well 

 be excused for his careless look. Only a stray one at distant 

 intervals appears on this loch, and the Duke has given strict 

 orders to spare both them and the other eagles. Pity his 

 Grace has so few imitators. 



A rare type of sui generis was our amphibious coachman, 

 Hector Gordon, of Altnaharrow. He thoroughly knew all the 

 lochs and cross-roads for miles round, land or water being 

 equally his element. He was at first a little shy, but when 

 we gained his confidence, he seldom opened his mouth without 

 saying something pungent, in a style peculiarly his own. Yet 

 he had no idea of it himself. His face was as unmoved when 

 we were in fits of laughter as before he had uttered a word. 



