120 THE OSPKEY 



Chapel Isle near the east end of the loch, the other on 

 the shore of the mainland six or seven miles to the 

 west. I was surprised to see how insecure were the 

 building sites chosen by both pairs. At that time 

 the southern shore of Loch Arkaig was clothed with 

 a noble mantle of Scots pines (alas ! they have since 

 been felled), probably the finest and most extensive 

 stretch of natural forest remaining in Scotland. Instead 

 of choosing one of thousands of ancient and lofty trees 

 for their eyrie, one pair of ospreys had built their 

 clumsy nest on a miserable, stunted pine on the out- 

 skirt of the forest, where it was not only a very 

 conspicuous object, but invited marauders through 

 being only about ten feet above the ground. The 

 other pair certainly enjoyed the security of an island, 

 but they cared not to add to it by selecting a big tree, 

 for they had built their nest on a weakly oak or ash, 

 I forget which. 



Both these pairs safely reared their broods in that 

 season; but now, although the ruined eyrie long 

 remained on the island, it has been deserted for 

 several years. The male bird, having lost his mate, 

 revisited the island in three or four successive springs, 

 actually undertaking some repairs on the old home 

 before taking his departure — a faithful but bereaved 

 widower. 



The business instinct (to call it by no harsher name) 

 of professional collectors is stimulated to such a pitch 

 by the fancy prices given by amateurs for British-laid 

 eggs of rare birds as to make the guardianship of their 

 oests extremely difficult, especially when, as is the case 



