OCT. FIELD-MICE GEESE — WADERS. 33 



net, and is drowned in it. More frequently, how- 

 ever, the twine is damaged and torn by the larger 

 seals, who are too strong and cunning to be so 

 easily caught. 



Frequently on this barren peninsula I have fallen 

 in with a small colony of field-mice. They are in 

 shape like the common large-headed and short-tailed 

 mouse, which is so destructive in gardens, but of a 

 brighter and lighter colour. These little animals 

 must live on the seeds of the bent and on such dead 

 fish as they may fall in with. 



The brent goose is not a constant visitor here in 

 the winter. This bird, though very numerous in 

 the Cromarty Firth, does not find in this part of the 

 coast the particular kind of sea-grass on which it 

 feeds. There are generally, however, a small com- 

 pany of these geese about the basin. A few white- 

 fronted geese are constantly here from October to 

 April or May, living either in the lonely mosses 

 near the sea, or about the sands. Of other wild 

 geese we have no large flocks, except during the 

 time of sowing the oats, when bean-geese arrive in 

 great numbers. 



This bay, like that of Findhorn, is always swarm- 

 ing with loaders of every description, from the cur- 

 lew to the redshank, and from the smallest kind of 

 sandpiper to the old man we see yonder, who is 



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