ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 9 



the peculiar and surpassing beauty of which it would 

 not be easy to describe. 



The rosy tints of sunset chequered the broad arc of 

 heaven, and melted in the bluer distance into ban- 

 nerets of liquid gold. Many a graceful tern (Sterna 

 hirundo) was sailing along, hovering and fishing for its 

 evening meal : the sundry sullen-visaged rooks were 

 stealthily steering homewards to a vast colonial esta- 

 blishment which they have constructed unmolested in 

 the woods to the left of Dunrobin Castle, and a low, 

 smothered, flute-like cry from many a member of the 

 wader tribe some distance further up the creek invited 

 my attention to the spot. Having kept the course of 

 the beaten highway for some three miles and a half, I 

 struck off across a greener portion of the country, 

 where the spring corn, having received a satisfactory 

 fillip from the late humid weather, was doing its utmost 

 to put on a respectable appearance, notwithstanding 

 the unprolific nature of its sandy and uncongenial 

 subsoil. Proceeding steadily in the direction of the 

 sound, I found myself upon a point of land which, 

 jutting out some distance into the stream, formed upon 

 its inner side a small but secluded bay, the nocturnal 

 undisturbed resort of several species of waterfowl. All 

 at once I was aroused by a clamour above my head, 

 emanating from a flock of terns, or sea -swallows, all of 

 whom were thus expressing their unqualified indignation 



