xliv 



DESCRIPTIVE CHAPTERS. 



In the earlier autumn, of course, the Waders would be in still 

 stronger evidence. 



The map of the Tents Muir District should also be consulted 

 under Grouse, Sand-Grouse, and Terns, and some more species. 



MUGDRUM ISLAND. 



Another interesting locality is Mugdrum Island, on the tidal 

 portion of the river Tay. In order to obtain any definite idea 

 of this favourite haunt of migratory birds, and as a haunt of in- 

 numerable Starlings, Tits, Eails, Rose-coloured Pastors, and other 

 species as spoken of in the text, one must climb up above the town 

 of Newburgh, to separate to the eye-view its outlines from the far 

 shore of Forfar and the Carse of Gowrie. It is a long narrow island, 

 with a wealthy- soiled farm upon it. It stretches up the tidal Tay 

 for more than three miles, surrounded by a tide- or sea-wall; 

 and between the wall and the tideway a vast fringe of reeds or bul- 

 rushes almost entirely surrounds it. To attempt to get any view of 

 it from lower levels would result in failure, and bring out a meaning- 

 less mass of confused and commingled island and shore. It is highly 

 cultivated ; as also are the famous pear- and apple-orchards of the 

 slopes above Newburgh, and the reclaimed farm lands a little to 

 the east of the town and in the vicinity of Lindores Abbey ; and 

 as also are the more distant wealthy-soiled lands of the Carse of 

 Gowrie. The far channel of the Tay between Mugdrum Island and 

 the coast of Forfar is shallow — though labelled a "deep" on the 

 map — and in severe winters is often crowded with innumerable 

 Wild-fowl of all kinds. The lands of Inchyre on the hill-tops and 

 rolling fields on the Fife side are the haunt of companies of Grey 

 Geese, especially one well-known field on that property which they 

 haunt repeatedly. The salmon-pools, famous for their wealth of fish, 

 are now taken over by the Perthshire Syndicate, and no netting is 

 done beyond what is sufficient to maintain the right ; and thereby 

 the river-angling of the upper reaches of the Tay has already been 

 vastly improved. Many references will be found in the text to this 

 paradise of Wild-fowl and migrants. 



