1310 The Zoologist — August, 1808. 



both of whom were with me to-day, and who know the loch well. The 

 bird was distant about two hundred and fifty yards from shore, and 

 kept always not more than fifty yards from the only green island on 

 the loch, on which I feel certain the female was sitting on her eggs. 

 A gentleman who was with me now attempted to swim out to the 

 island, but the water was intensely cold, and he being out of practice 

 could only accomplish about one-third of the distance, when he had 

 to turn : the moment he entered the water, as I had expected, the 

 female must have dived off the nest, as, for the first time, the two birds 

 were seen together. The eggs must have been almost, I believe, on 

 the point of hatching, she seemed, up to the time when danger most 

 threatened, to be so unwilling to leave them, notwithstanding the 

 repeated calling and uneasy movements of her mate. This loch is 

 miles and miles from any habitation where a boat is kept, and the 

 ground around it is so wild and rugged that it would bo an immense 

 labour to bring anything but a canoe or an India-rubber boat to it, if 

 indeed it were not almost impossible to do it at all, I do not believe 

 that thev will be further disturbed this season, and think that thcv 

 will have every chance to bring off their young in peace and 

 safety. 



June 9. Scowrie. Yesterday came here. Tremendous gale outside 

 the bay, and all agreed it was dangi To us, if not impossible, to go to 

 Handa from Scowrie. Walked across four miles to Tarbat, and thence 

 managed with four oars to row over to Handa, where we landed about 

 ten o'clock. Got what eggs and birds 1 wanted. Received a lot of 

 other eggs from collectors at Scowrie, and some information regarding 

 the habits of the rock birds when feeding their young. 



June 10 and 11. Returned to head quartets, bringing the Handa 

 cragsman with me to try for the young falcons which Mr. Mac Ivor, 

 the duke's factor, was anxious to procure. We went to the rock, but 

 with what success I have already related. 



June 14. Left Bonar by the mail at six o'clock this morning, and 

 arrived at home about the same hour in the afternoon. Am to receive 

 still a box of eggs from each of two correspondents whom I had no 

 opportunity of meeting with during my tour. 



Obtained thirty- five species of birds' eggs, not including some that 

 are yet to come, a fine wild cat's skin, a pochard drake, and a red- 

 throated diver. I also forgot to mention that I observed a specimen 

 of the tree pipit, which bird I never before observed in the treeless, or 

 almost treeless, district of Assynt : it sat on an ash-tree close to the 



