M A E C H. 



March \.st. Shot wild ducks on the Loch of Spynie. 

 Although I only killed three mallards, a teal, and a snipe, I was 

 much amused and interested by seeing the immense flocks of 

 wildfowl that were congregated on and about the loch. Mallards, 

 wigeon, teal, pintail ducks, pochards, a few sheldrakes, great 

 numbers of bald coots and waterhens, snipe, sea-gulls, redshanks, 

 and clouds of lapwings and curlews. The teal kept up a constant 

 whistling during the whole day, as did the wigeon. All of the 

 different ducks were pairing, and although on the water they 

 appeared to be in one confused mass, as soon as they rose, I 

 observed that they all flew to and fro in pairs. Even in the 

 great flights as they passed from one end of the loch to the 

 other, every flock was subdivided into pairs, which had a very 

 curious effect in the air. I do not know a prettier sight than a 

 vast number of waterfowl such as I saw to-day filling the water 

 and air above it, and uttering their various cries. The coot's 

 manner of rising is very peculiar flapping and rushing along 

 the water for twenty yards before he gets well on the wing, 

 making a great noise and sending the water in all directions 

 around him. Once on wing the coot has a great resemblance to 



