INVERERNE. 



January 29th. A harder frost last night than we have had 

 during the whole winter, but rainy again in the daytime. I 

 put up a water-rail to-day amongst some furze bushes quite away 

 from any water. I found the remains of a little auk some 

 distance up the river, half-a-mile from the sea. The Hocks of 

 greenfinches seem to increase daily. The redshank commences 

 to change his note, uttering the peculiar whistle which they 

 make in the spring. The long-tail ducks were particularly 

 noisy in the bay to-day when the tide was coming in. Their 

 cry is very musical, and unlike that of any other bird. It 

 may resemble the bugle note of the wild swan slightly. The 

 rooks do much injury to the turnips, boring into them with 

 their sharp and strong bills. The boys at the farm near this 

 have two trout, about six inches in length, in the wooden trough 

 out of which their horses drink. The fish seem quite lively and 

 well, though they have lived in the trough since August last. 

 When the fresh water is pumped in for the horses, they dart up 

 to the place where it falls into the trough, and seem to enjoy it 

 very much without the least symptom of shyness. 



January 30th. The jacksnipe, which have disappeared for 

 a long time, appear again. I killed a brace to-day. The com- 

 mon hares turn very grey in this country about now. Those 

 killed in woods do not appear to turn so grey as those killed in 

 open ground. Immense nights of fieldfares and 

 (WindKE.) 



redwings. 



