94 NAIRN. 



to the size of the bird. They are as good as plovers' eggs, but 

 more opaque in the white when boiled. 



June sth. At Lochlee yesterday I see the coots are still 

 building, making the most wonderfully large heaps of rushes, etc. 

 for their nests. I shot a swift walking home. The bird, which 

 was not quite dead, struck its short strong claws through the 

 finger of the boy who picked it up. 



June *llh. Walked to Lochlee to put in a few hooks 

 baited with small trout, in order to see if any fish take them. 

 The people here say that there are no fish in the loch, but as 

 otters are often seen there, I fancy that there must be some 

 kind of fish. 



June 8th. I found on my lines in Lochlee some very large 

 eels of 4 and 3^ Ib. weight. We also took some eggs of the 

 bald coot. The nests of these birds, though very large, are more 

 like floating rafts than fixtures. One we found was attached to 

 a floating branch that had fallen into the water, and though from 

 the low state of the water just now the branch and nest were 

 grounded on a shallow, on the least rise of the loch they must 

 have been afloat. We also found a teal's nest with eight eggs in 

 a small tuft of heather standing like an island, just large enough 

 to hold the nest in the midst of a wet place. The heather was 

 high, and the nest and eggs were entirely concealed. If a dog 

 had not frightened the bird off, we should have never found it. 

 Nothing could be more neat and warm than the nest, care- 

 fully lined as it was with beautiful down, and arched over with 

 heather and long grass. 



June 10 th. Went to Lochlee to put in eel lines. The 

 wind so rough that we had difficulty in doing so properly. A 

 pair of hooded crows near the loch seem to bring eggs of all 

 kinds to a certain spot near the water. I find shells of partridge, 

 wild duck, and many other eggs. 



June llth. Took up lines at Lochlee. Several eels, but 

 many of the hooks broken from getting into weeds, etc. Crows 

 near Lochlee seem to have fallen on a partridge's nest, as I 

 constantly see fresh shells brought now. 



