414 Eagle's Nest in Loch Skene. 



hangs the lake is a rocky slope of less than 40 degrees, and 

 certainly does not afford a spot to which a person without a 

 rope might not approach to within 10 yards. Eagles often 

 make their nests in very insecure places," &c. 



W. L., the afore-mentioned old correspondent of Loudon's 

 Magazine, acknowledges that he has not seen Loch Skene, the 

 Loch Craig, or the White Coomc, these many years; but he 

 has, however, been many times there along with various com- 

 panions, and with various views. He has angled around the 

 loch, been on the top of the Loch Craig, and at the foot of it, 

 and seen it from the brow of the neighbouring mountain of 

 White Coome, and from the Mirk-side-edge, that dark ridge 

 that separates the glen of the Ettrick from Moffatdale ; and 

 always considered the Loch Craig of Polmoody as the most 

 precipitous rocky mountain he knew of in the south of Scot- 

 land. He uses the word "overhangs" the loch; but, surely, 

 Mr. Macgillivray's conscientiousness is not so strait-laced as 

 to be unable to tolerate a figurative expression almost common- 

 place, when applied to scenery. Mr. Macgillivray says, that 

 a boat has been conveyed to the loch. W. L. cannot doubt 

 it ; but no boat had ever been conveyed to Loch Skene, that 

 ever he heard of, before he left the country. But W. L. 

 believes that the Earl of Traquair, either the late Lord Charles, 

 or his uncle, his predecessor, sent his gamekeeper and other 

 servants, one of whom was an expert swimmer, who swam to 

 the islet, and with much difficulty, owing to the opposition 

 from the old birds, brought off the eaglets ; and from that 

 time the eagles made their nests in Loch Skene no more. 



W. L. has contributed to the Magazine of Natural History 

 almost from its commencement, and never stated a fact that 

 he did not believe to be true. He has continued to write 

 anonymously, no doubt; but his name and address he took 

 care to make known to the conductor, that reference might be 

 given if required. 



The only instance where he afterwards found he was incor- 

 rect, was in asserting that the thrushes that frequent the shores 

 of the Hebrides, and which feed much upon shell-fish were 

 a different species from that common to the valleys of the 

 mainland, and a small dark brown thrush that migrates in 

 flocks. W. L. came to understand that there were plenty in 

 the Lewes, and sent to an intelligent person for specimens. 

 These he found to be the Turd us miisicus, and learned that 

 they made their nests on the top of the turf walls, and on the 

 drv edges of the peat-pits, and generally fed upon whelks, 

 which they break by giving them a sharp blow upon the stones 

 of the shore. W. L. being otherwise busily engaged at the 



