The Zoologist — Skftember, 18G7. 885 



Colquhoun, of Rossdue : this happened some fifty years ago, as I am 

 informed by Mr. J. Colquhoun, of Karnes Castle, when the latter was 

 a boy. 



Sea Eagle. — The sea eagle in this county is now almost as rare as 

 the last mentioned, but, from being more numerous elsewhere, speci- 

 mens are occasionally procured. One was shot by the man who killed 

 the golden eagle, mentioned above. Mr. Colquhoun tells me that the 

 sea eagle attacked his dog whilst retrieving a wild duck, and almost 

 drowned it before he could offer assistance by firing at the eagle. In 

 'Montagu's British Birds,' by Mr. Newman, is the following passage :— 

 " Two of this species, contending in the air over the extensive lake, 

 Loch Lomond, in the South Highlands, both at last became so firmly 

 grappled to each other by their talons that they were precipitated into 

 the water. The uppermost regained the power of its wings, but the 

 other was taken alive by a highlander, who witnessed the scene, and 

 who waited till the bird was wafted on shore by the wind." Then, a 

 few lines further down, Mr. Newman says, " Although an extremely 

 bold bird, it will not venture to contend with a dog or a fox in its 

 natural wild state."* The above communication of Mr. J. Colquhoun 

 seems to make this doubtful, I think. Perhaps had the dog been on 

 dry land such would not have happened. Captain G. Spiers, of 

 Culcreuch, informs me that he has lately seen the common eagle near 

 his property, in the parish of Fin try. 



Osprey. — In his delightful book, ' The Moor and the Loch,' Mr. J. 

 Colquhoun mentions the fact of a pair of ospreys breeding on an island 

 — Inch Galbraith — on Loch Lomond, and his son distinctly remembers 

 that when he was young the osprey bred on the islands of the loch. 

 A bird has been described to me under the name of the " small loch 

 eagle" as having been killed by a man in the village of Larbert about 

 twenty years ago : it was carrying in its beak a roach (or braese) of 

 half a pound weight, when first seen, and, having alighted on a railway- 

 post to eat it, was successfully stalked and shot by the man, James 

 Finlayson, who is still alive : it measured, I was told, about five feet in 

 extent of wings. Captain Spiers tells me that his keeper killed a 

 specimen of the " small fish eagle" about three years ago. 



Peregrine Falcon. — The peregrine is not now so common in this 

 county as it was formerly, though there are several breeding-places still 

 remaining around Loch Lomond and elsewhere. This fine bird used 



* The observation is Colonel Montagu's, not mine. — E. Newman. 



