inhabiting the County of Sutherland. 289 



of the party ; and the quadrupeds described were either seen alive, or their 

 recent pelts examined, when in the possession of the fox-hunters, or regu- 

 larly deputed vermin-destroyers of the districts. In a wild, mountainous, 

 and thinly inhabited country, abounding in lochs and rivers, and whose zoology 

 had previously been little attended to, it was naturally expected that some 

 interesting facts connected with the breeding, distribution, &c, of various 

 species of birds, would reward an excursion of this description. Nor were 

 the party disappointed, for they had the pleasure of ascertaining that the va- 

 rious interior fresh-water lochs are selected by that beautiful bird the Black- 

 throated Diver (Colymbus arcticus) for the rearing of its offspring, and both 

 eggs and young were for the first time obtained. The Bean Goose (Anser 

 ferus, Flem.^l was also frequently seen with its young upon some of the 

 larger lochs ; and the Wigeon (Mareca Penelope), Scaup Pochard (Fuligula 

 marila), and the Greenshank (Totanus glottis), were for the first time de- 

 tected building in Britain. Among the warblers, it is interesting to trace 

 the extensive distribution of the Willow Wren (Sylvia Trochilus), and 

 Sedge Warbler ( Salicaria phracjmitis ), both of which were found extending 

 their migration to the northern verge of the county, wherever situations at 

 all suited to their habits were met with. Two or three instances of the 

 White throat (Curruca cinerea) were noticed at Tongue, but the want of 

 woods, and other protecting cover, had arrested the progress of the other ar- 

 boreal warblers, viz. the Blackcap {Curruca atricapilla), Pettychaps (Curruca 

 hortensis), Wood Wren (Sylvia sibilatriw), and Chiff-chaff (Sylvia rufa), 

 though the three first were traced as far as Dingwall, upon the northern 

 side of the Moray Frith. Of the other forms belonging to the Sylviadce, 

 the three British species of Sawicola were met with, the Wheatear being 

 remarkably abundant, and very generally spread over the county ; the Red- 

 start (Phcenicura ruticilla) was also twice seen. Of the Motacillince, the 

 Pied and Grey Wagtails were generally dispersed, but the common Pipit 

 was the only species of Anthus observed. The Pari or Titmice were con- 

 fined to the southern confines of the county, where fir and other planta- 

 tions commenced. The mountainous and rocky character of the greater 

 part of the county, abounding as it does in cliffs of vast perpendicular 

 height, renders it a district peculiarly favourable to the larger raptorial 



