78 INVERERNE. 



a blackcock in manner of flight, etc. On the water this bird 

 swims very high, giving one the idea of a blackened bladder 

 floating about. The wigeon, on the contrary, swims very flat 

 and low in the water, but on wing is quick and sharp in its 

 movements. The teal has a sudden and rapid, but unsteady 

 flight. 



There are a great many marks of otters about the loch at 

 this season of the year. I conclude that they find plenty of 

 flounders and eels in the muddy ditches and canals. The otters 

 about Spynie sit in the rushes on the small islands making seats 

 like those of a hare. Eennie caught a very beautiful pochard 

 duck, which must have received some hurt to prevent its flying, 

 although it was to all appearance uninjured. It is in very 

 perfect plumage, and does not seem at all shy. The eye of this 

 bird is of a very peculiar blood-red colour, and has a very bold 

 and fiery appearance. The pochard is a remarkably heavy bird 

 for its size. Captain C. tells me that they are very good eating. 

 The wigeon are particularly good and free from any fishy or 

 weedy flavour on this loch, owing to their feeding so much on 

 the grass fields near the edge of the loch. 



We started several hares which were lying in perfectly wet 

 seats some distance in the rushes. Saw badger tracks about the 

 loch. The keeper catches mallards with snares made of a single 

 fine wire set in the furrows of the fields near the water. He 

 complains that the grey crows kill most of the young waterfowl. 

 These crows are bred on the adjoining property, but he intends 

 to poison them this spring. The rooks have returned to their 

 breeding-places, and were very busy building their nests to-day, 

 carrying up sticks from every direction. 



March 2nd. The pochard which I brought home yesterday 

 alive is still tame, and eats worms fearlessly from the children's 

 hands. They gave him a water trough with a quantity of weeds 

 taken out of the burn, which he appears to be very fond of. A 

 great many wigeon feeding about the island ; a large proportion of 

 them seem to be hens, whereas on Spynie the greater proportion 

 seem to be drakes. 



