6 2 INVERERNE. 



The wind, which was blowing strongly from the north, obliged them 

 to fly so low. After alighting in the bay for about half an hour 

 they rose and flew (as they invariably do for a short time) to wind- 

 ward, then turning they winged their way rapidly with the wind in 

 the direction of the Loch of Spynie, which is a favourite resting- 

 place, being shallow and abounding in the grass on which they feed. 



S tells me that there are two kinds of wild swans fre- 

 quenting this country one perfectly white and with their feet 

 entirely black, the other kind having the lower parts of a cream 

 colour, and their feet mottled with brown and black. He also 

 says that the latter kind are larger than the former. 



Hares have some peculiar habits which, from the animal 

 itself being so common, are not often remarked, as no one looks 

 on a hare as anything more than an article of food, whereas it is 

 as interesting and beautiful a creature as exists. One peculiarity 

 is the great love that hares have for taking up their quarters near 

 houses. I find invariably a hare or two close to the houses of the 

 town, and also close to the different cottages on my ground. 



I remember once sleeping at a shepherd's house on the hills. 

 During almost all the night the dogs of the place were barking 

 and yelping at my deerhound, entirely preventing me from 

 sleeping. I was the first person up, and on going to the back of 

 the house to look at the morning sun, I started a hare that had 

 made her form up against the turf wall of the cottage undeterred 

 by the constant noise that had gone on during all the night. 

 Similar instances have often fallen under my observation. I 

 found a hare sitting the other day within five feet of where I 

 was standing, and in a very open place. I wanted to show her 

 to one of my children, who was riding four or five hundred yards 

 from the spot, so T stood still and sent a man to call the boy. 

 In the meantime I had to call loudly at and rate my dogs, four 

 of which were hunting about the place. Seeing with their quick 

 and peculiar instinct that I saw something, the dogs became very 

 eager, and it required a great deal of calling at to keep them quiet 

 and make them lie for four or five minutes. When the child came 

 I had to point the hare out to him. The poor little animal, notwith- 



