CHAPTER VIII. 
FORMS A NATURAL-HISTORY COLLECTION. 
*Banrr was the central point of Edward’s operations. 
Banff is a pleasant country town, situated on the southern 
shore of the Moray Firth. It lies on a gentle slope inclin- 
ing toward the sea. In front of it is the harbor. Although 
improved by Telford, it is rather difficult of access, and not 
much frequented except during the fishing season. West- 
ward of Banff, a low range of hills lies along the coast. 
The burns of the Boyne, Portsoy, and Cullen cross the 
range, and run into the sea. 
The fishing town of Macduff, which may be considered 
the port of Banff, lies about a mile to the eastward. To 
reach it, the river Deveron is crossed by one of Smeaton’s 
finest bridges. The harbor of Macduff is more capacious 
and more easy of entrance than that of Banff. Many for- 
eign vessels are to be seen there in the fishing season, for 
the purpose of transporting the myriads of herrings which 
are daily brought in by the fishermen. 
Eastward of Macduff the coast becomes exceedingly 
rocky. The ridges of the hills, running down toward the 
sea, seem to have been broken off by the tremendous lash- 
ings of the waves at their feet, and thus the precipitous 
rocks descend in several places about six hundred feet to 
the shore. The coast scenery at Gamrie is unrivaled on the 
eastern shores of Scotland. The cliffs are the haunts of 
myriads of sea-fowl. ‘On a fine day,” says Edward, “and 
under the mild influence of a vernal and unclouded sun, the 
scene is particularly beautiful. The ocean lies tranquil, and 
