INVERERNE. 67 



the tide to graze on the grassy banks that are left bare. I rarely 

 see them take to the fields. I saw to-day three long-tailed ducks 

 (anas glacialis) in the burn. 



December llth. Severe snowstorm. Wind N.-E. Wigeon 

 are driven to the open ditches, and are very tame. The long- 

 tailed ducks are also in every open pool and ditch, and so tame 

 that they will rather dive than fly, however near I approach. 



December 12th and 1 3th. The snipe begin to come in great 

 numbers to every open ditch, but. are very wild in consequence of 

 all their cover being beaten down by the snow, which makes 

 them unable to conceal themselves. 



December 14:th and L5th. The redwings, thrushes, linnets, 

 and other small birds become very tame and distressed for want 

 of food. A tawny bunting^ (a rare bird here) came into the 

 house. The rooks do great mischief to the corn stacks, tearing 

 out the straw and carrying off' the corn. Along every ditch side 

 and drain I see the tracks of weasels. These little animals seem 

 to travel an astonishing distance, hunting carefully every furze 

 bush and other place which might conceal any prey. A specimen 

 of the little auk was killed by a man in a ditch leading into the 

 sea. The river is quite choked up at the end by the accumulation 

 of frozen snow and ice, and the whole bay (excepting a small part 

 near Findhorn) is covered with masses of ice and snow. 



December 19th. The frost and snow commence to go. There 

 is still, however, a considerable depth in sheltered places, which 

 are not reached by the wind. Nothing melts snow so quickly as 

 wind. The snipe have collected in great numbers about every 

 unfrozen place, but from the grass and rushes being covered with 

 snow, they are very wild. The partridges and hares, from the 

 same reason, are quite unapproachable. Kabbits burrow under 

 the snow. During the first two days of snow, rabbits and hares 

 appear to move very little. Fieldfares and redwings, though 

 weak and tame, do not become lean for the first week, but seem 

 to find sufficient food about the springs and shore to keep them 

 in good order. 



* [Probably a young snow bunting. ED.] 



