MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS 165 



from the Forest of Gaick eastwards we descended 

 to a certain hill burn near its source, and followed 

 it for a number of miles. At first the burn was 

 literally swarming with trout up to one pound 

 and more in weight, but gradually their numbers 

 decreased, and we disturbed a couple of goos- 

 anders in their fishing operations. There were 

 ample signs that they had taken up their home 

 in the district, and near where we noted them 

 there was scarcely a single fish in the burn. 

 Especially when they have young the goosander 

 must account for a very large number of trout, 

 and it is not unnatural that the salmon-fisher 

 should hold none too friendly feelings towards 

 this bird. Not so many years ago the River Dee, 

 near its source, held great numbers of small 

 trout, but I was assured by a veteran stalker 

 that these trout were almost entirely wiped out 

 during a season by a pair of goosanders which 

 took up their residence in the district, and after 

 my recent experience I am obliged to alter my 

 previous conviction that the account I heard was 

 an exaggerated one." 



When an animal or bird is constantly 

 observed in captivity there is a tendency for a 



