NAIRN. 95 



June 15th. In the pools near the river I see a number of 

 worms, having exactly the appearance of living horse-hair, some 

 light-coloured and others black. There is a common supposition 

 that these worms are nothing but horse-hair come into life from a 

 long immersion in water. What they really are it is difficult to say. 

 To the naked eye, both extremities are alike with neither head nor 

 tail. If kept for some time out of water, they become quite dry 

 and apparently lifeless, but on being put into the water again they 

 immediately (or in a short time) become as lively as ever.^ 



The small river of Nairn is very high and dirty, and the sea 

 for a considerable distance out very much discoloured with the 

 river water. This arises in a great measure from the fresh water 

 being lighter than the salt, and not mixing immediately, but re- 

 maining on the surface. I observe this particularly about the 

 last hour of the flow of the tide, when it begins to be rather 

 slack, as then the river runs strongly outwards, while there is a 

 rapid current in a contrary direction underneath the surface made 

 by the tide running. One sees the lighter sticks, corks, etc. 

 floating rapidly one way, while weed and heavier substances 

 which keep nearer to the bottom keep crossing them in their 

 passage up the river, apparently moving against the stream. 



June 16th. Walked to Lochlee with Freebairn. Found 

 that the hooded crows had ta.ken all the eggs from the teal's 

 nest which we had seen there last week. 



June 18th. Constant rain, but warm days intervening, and 

 an immense growth in fields and gardens. 



The eels in Lochlee seem innumerable. They probably 

 have never been disturbed nor killed, excepting by otters or 

 herons, the country people here having a great prejudice against 

 eating or even touching them. 



The Nairn came down (like the Findhorn and other mountain 

 streams) in a moment one day this week, rising several feet at 

 once. A flood of this kind carries out all the slimy green weed, 

 etc. that collects in the pools of the river. The sea for some 

 distance out is quite muddy from the river water during a flood. 

 * See "Sport in Moray, 1882," p. 155, footnote. 



