64 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. 



CHAPTER V. 



Length of Day — Sedge Warbler — Different Birds near Loch 

 Naver — Ben Cleebrick — Rain — Loch Maddie — Frost 

 • — Ben Laighal — Foxes — Sheep Killing — Catching Wild 

 Ducks — Peregrine Falcon ; Manner of catching their Young 

 — Golden Eagles — Tongue — Fine Scenery of 15ay of Tongue 

 and Islands — Wild Cat — Seals. 



The nights at this season are most enjoyable ; in 

 fact, there is no darkness. I went out of the inn 

 at midnight, and was much amused at hearing 

 the different cries of the birds. Close to the door is 

 a small enclosed clump of larch, where the grass 

 and weeds are very high and rank. In this little 

 patch it seems that a sedge warbler had made her 

 nest. All day long had the male bird been singing 

 to his mate, and now at midnight he was still uttering 

 unceasingly his merry note : I never met with so 

 indefatigable a songster ; night or day he seemed 

 never to weary. 



Towards the loch a constant tumult was kept up 

 amongst the waders and waterfowl. High in the 

 air was heard the common snipe, earning his Gaelic 

 name of " air goat " by his incessant bleating cry ; 

 while redshanks, curlews, golden plovers, and pee- 

 \\^ts, all seemed to be as lively as if it had been 



