THE FINDHORN HERONRY 



2IS 



rapid as thought at it, and then swims slowly back to his 

 ambuscade in the depth of the water, not aware, till he feels the 

 jerk of the line, that he is carrying with him, not a painted 

 dragon-fly, but a carefully-prepared and strong weapon of death, 

 which he will only get quit of with his life. The nets are at 

 work too, sweeping a deep and quiet pool, but seldom with 

 much success, owing to the inequalities of the bottom of the 

 river. Making a wide turn here, the river passes by an object 

 of great interest, the Findhorn heronry,' a collection of these 

 birds quite unique in their way. They have taken possession 

 of a number of old trees growing on the Darnaway side of the 

 river, and here, year after year, they repair their old nests and 

 bring up their young, not frightened away by the frequenters 



THE HILLS OF SUTHERLAND FROM THE MOORS ABOVE THE FINDHORN 



of a walk which passes immediately under their nests. 

 Numbers of the old birds may be seen sitting motionless on 

 the dead branches, or perched on the very topmost twig of a 

 larch or birch-tree. 



Sometimes the peregrine, on his way to Sluie, passes 

 quickly through the midst of the community, while a constant 

 chattering is kept up by the numberless jackdaws which breed 

 in holes of the rock on the Altyre side, and keep flying in and 

 out from far below the spot where you are standing. Far as 

 you can see, and indeed still farther, are stretched the forests 

 of Darnaway and Altyre. Following the river, or rather keep- 

 ing the top of the bank above it, a new and most striking view 

 meets your eye. Looking down the course of the water, you 

 suddenly see beyond the woodland a wide extent of corn-land, 

 interspersed with groves of timber and houses; beyond this 



• Herons build at times on rocks. — C. St. J. 



