CH III. LOCH NAVER — LOCH LAIGHAL. 41 



When alone, this bird takes wing readily enough, 

 and flies off to some neighbouring lake with a 

 quick and lofty flight. 



We found our luggage safe under the care of 

 the faithful dog, who had never left his charge, and 

 before dark we arrived at the inn of Aultnaharrow, 

 which is situated near one of the finest lakes in 

 the country, Loch Naver. Like all the inns in 

 Sutherland which are under the efficient and liberal 

 management of the Duke's factors, Aultnaharrow 

 is clean and comfortable. 



The following day, leaving my friend to fish in 

 Loch Naver, I drove off" in the boat, accompanied 

 by Dunbar and one of Lord Ellesmere's foresters 

 who lives close to the inn, for a loch called Loch 

 Laighal, or, as it is pronounced. Loch Loyal. This 

 is another fine sheet of water several miles in length, 

 with a few islands, the breeding-places of grey 

 geese and numberless gulls. There were vast 

 flocks of that magnificent bird the great black- 

 backed gull {Larus marinus), and also of the lesser 

 black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) . The former is 

 a most splendid and beautiful bird, with its pure 

 black and white plumage, and a stretch of wing 

 little less than that of the golden eagle. 



We had scarcely launched our boat on the water, 

 leaving the forester on shore, as our tiny craft scarcely 



