190 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
without also cultivating a taste for the other. And yet how many 
books on sport have been published by writers who have had no 
pretensions to the name of naturalist. Where attention is confined 
to a particular branch of sport, as Tiger-shooting, Fox-hunting, 
Salmon-fishing, and the like, this is perhaps of little moment, 
although it must be apparent that a knowledge of an animal’s 
haunts and habits, time and manner of feeding, and the nature of 
its food, gained by a study of its natural history, must be of con- 
siderable advantage to the sportsman who intends to be successful. 
But with writers who treat of the general subject, or recount the 
result of their travels or excursions in little-known countries, the 
case is different, Either from necessity and for food, or from 
choice and for amusement, they come in contact with such a 
variety of game, both four-footed and winged, that to avoid con- 
fusion and misunderstanding, some precision in identifying and 
describing the different species is absolutely necessary. It is 
needless to say that this precision is only to be gained by a study 
of Natural History, and the want of it has considerably depreciated 
the value of many a well-written and otherwise entertaining book 
on sport and adventure. 
Books of the kind before us, therefore, may be divided into two 
classes: those penned by sportsmen who have some acquaintance 
with Natural History ; and those written by lovers of rod and gun, 
who have no knowledge beyond that which is requisite to fill their 
creel or game-bag. 
Mr. Colquhoun’s work is of the former class, and on this account 
has the more merit. Residing in a wild and extremely picturesque 
part of Scotland, in the midst of game of all kinds, with ample 
leisure for observation, and for sport in almost all its branches, 
Mr. Colquhoun has enjoyed opportunities which fall to the lot of few, 
A more favourable observatory for a naturalist than his home on 
the banks of Loch Awe, as he himself remarks, could perhaps 
scarcely be found. The crow of the Moorcock is heard from the 
window; the bell of the Roebuck, in the adjacent hanging wood, 
sounds close to the door; a good eye and glass may command the 
correis of Ben Cruachan; infinite varieties of wild fowl crowd the 
loch, in winter, many of them rare arctic visitors; the salmon 
streams of the Awe and Orchy are within easy distance, and the 
mighty Salmo ferox roams the shore for miles, 
Thus favourably situated, it is not surprising that Mr. Colquhoun, 
