The Zoologist— August, 1867. 853 



There is a considerable colony of the latter, which occupies the two 

 largest islands. The dumlin's eggs were peculiar ; they so closely 

 resembled common sandpiper's eggs. I walked round the loch after- 

 wards and saw a single greenshank ; it did not seem to be nesting, but 

 was only feeding on the side of the loch. To-day I found another 

 curlew's nest containing four eggs. 



Monday, May 20. — From Altuacealgach to Innisnadamph (ten 

 miles). The keeper at the latter place had taken for us five hen 

 harrier's eggs, shooting the female from the nest, but spoiling the latter 

 for preserving. We blew all five successfully. Three of this nest 

 were much spotted with minute red specks all over the shell. To-day, 

 on the way to Innisnadamph, we looked for blackthroated diver's eggs 

 on a loch near the road, and saw both birds, but got no eggs. We 

 received eggs from our correspondent in Innisnadamph, amongst which 

 were three of the graylag goose, hooded crows, &c. We learned of the 

 peregrine's eyrie also, but were told that there were young. The four 

 common snipe's eggs arrived to-day along with the bird. Expect to 

 take blackheaded gulls from a loch near Canisbe (a mountain in the 

 vicinity). The blackheaded gull is, however, by no means common in 

 West Sutherland. We also heard of three different localities where 

 the greenshank breeds, and intend to devote a day to the search for 

 their eggs. Saw a sedge warbler on one of the lochs to-day. Shiel- 

 drakes breed on the east coast ; widgeon on several lochs, but not in 

 Assynt ? 



Wednesday, May 22. — Whilst fishing Loch Assynt we observed 

 hedge sparrows and wrens on one of the islands. Took common 

 gull's eggs. 



Thursday, May 23. — I, along with a gillie and our landlord, took a 

 ten-mile stretch over a shoulder of Ben More to look for ptarmigan's 

 eggs (I had obtained full permission to shoot any birds I wanted for 

 skinning from the Duke's factor at Scowrie). We were quite 

 unsuccessful as regards ptarmigan, but I took a nest of four merlin's 

 eggs. The nest was placed on a heathery ledge of a rock, and simply 

 formed of heather-tops. We also visited a buzzard rock, but saw no 

 traces of the nest, though I afterwards discovered it. Mr. Jesse took 

 some more common gull's and hooded crow's eggs on the islands and 

 shores of Loch Assynt. 



Saturday, May 25. — Received from J. S. two blackthroated diver's 

 eggs; one, as is often the case, was very long-shaped as compared with 

 the other. 



