By Upland Streams. 33 



and we can recall instances of flushing the duck of 

 this species with a numerous progeny from these 

 mountain torrents. On one occasion we were tramp- 

 ing the moorlands in Skye in company with a game- 

 keeper friend and a fine retriever. Suddenly we 

 came upon a brood of young Wild Ducks and their 

 mother. The young birds scattered in all directions, 

 and hid themselves in holes and corners by the 

 stream and amongst the tufts of rushes. The old 

 bird, however, would not leave her brood notwith- 

 standing the onslaught of the barking dog. With 

 bill wide open and wings expanded she refused to 

 be driven from the spot; so that, to save her life we 

 were obliged to secure the dog and to leave the spot, 

 where doubtless she soon gathered her brood around 

 her again. Then the Redshank, one of the prettiest 

 and most graceful of our indigenous wading birds, 

 is a by no means unfrequent visitor to the sandy 

 reaches about the eddies in the Highland burns. 

 This we have repeatedly remarked to be the case 

 in Cromartyshire, in the streams that flow into Loch 

 Carron, and in the vicinity of Strome Ferry. But 

 more of all these interesting birds anon. Lower 

 down the hillsides, where the course of the upland 

 streams is marked by a fringe of alder-trees, we have 

 avine visitors in some variety, especially during the 

 autumn and winter months. These trees are a 

 favourite resort of Redpoles, Siskins, and almost all 



( M 618 ) C 



