9174 Birds. . 
years. Higher up the stream the dipper is said to be more abundant. 
The one referred to was flying up the stream, following regularly each 
bend in the river, never cutting off an angle. Having alighted on a 
stone a little above the level of the water, I approached it under cover 
of the furze-bushes, and, at the distance of about thirty yards, remarked 
that the body was in constant motion, not a mere flirting up of the tail, 
but a regular and graceful movement. Its flight is low and direct, like 
that of the kingfisher, but not so rapid. 
Hooded Crow.—This species seems to be common. 
Herring Gull.—Very abundant, and during the herring season a 
constant attendant on the shoals. 
Coot.—Frequently observed on Loch Spynie. 
Moor Hen.—A very common bird. 
Robin.—Rarely met with: not one did I observe in the garden 
during my residence in the north. 
House Sparrow.—Far less numerous than in the south, but quite as 
familiar. For instance, one day in spring on entering the house 
I found a sparrow with her brood in the hall: she was very emaciated, 
and her plumage worn and ragged. There can be little food for them 
’ early in the season in these northern villages. I noticed during the 
winter a dwarfish sparrow, fully a third less in size than those with 
which it was associated. 
Magpie.—But once or twice seen, but there is little suitable cover 
near the coast. 
Osprey.—W hen strolling on the sea-cliffs a large hawk was observed, 
probably the osprey. With buoyant flight it was ascending and 
descending in circular sweeps, but not having a glass I could not well 
distinguish the colours of the plumage, but brown seemed the pre- 
dominant colour. During my stay in the north J saw but few hawks 
and no eagles. 
Chaffinch—A very numerous species, almost as much so as the 
greenfinch, and equally familiar, allowing one to walk beneath the 
fruit trees on which they are perched. On the 21st of April I observed 
a large flock of the latter feeding among the pear trees, but whether on 
buds or insects I did not discover. Nowhere have I found the two 
species so abundant as in the North of Scotland. 
The goldfinch, so common a bird in the south, was not met with, 
though its food is plentiful enough. I have observed that most spe- 
cies of birds are tamer, or easier of approach, than with us, owing 
doubtless to their being less sought after or molested. The small 
