﻿INTRODUCTION. 
  

  

  37 
  

  

  from 
  the 
  summit 
  of 
  any 
  of 
  these, 
  the 
  country 
  around 
  

   presents, 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  the 
  eye 
  can 
  reach, 
  an 
  unbroken 
  array 
  

   of 
  mountains, 
  bold 
  frowning 
  rocky 
  heights, 
  and 
  deep 
  glens, 
  

   and 
  wide 
  flats 
  of 
  moor 
  and 
  moss, 
  with 
  practically 
  no 
  

   ground 
  under 
  cultivation 
  or 
  capable 
  of 
  being 
  so. 
  Little 
  or 
  

   no 
  wood 
  now 
  exists, 
  although 
  in 
  former 
  times 
  it 
  had 
  been 
  

   otherwise. 
  This 
  elevated 
  ground 
  is 
  the 
  abode 
  of 
  the 
  Eagle, 
  

   Ptarmigan, 
  and 
  Mountain 
  Hare, 
  while 
  the 
  lower 
  hills 
  and 
  

   moors 
  are 
  tenanted 
  by 
  Red 
  Deer 
  and 
  Grouse. 
  In 
  the 
  

   depressions 
  along 
  which 
  the 
  rivers 
  Dee, 
  Don, 
  and 
  Ythan 
  

   flow, 
  after 
  the 
  first 
  few 
  miles 
  of 
  their 
  course, 
  there 
  is 
  much 
  

   wood, 
  which, 
  in 
  some 
  quarters, 
  extends 
  into 
  large 
  forests 
  — 
  

   notably, 
  Mar, 
  Invercauld, 
  Balmoral, 
  Ballochbuie, 
  Glen 
  Muick, 
  

   and 
  Glen 
  Tanner 
  (which 
  are 
  all 
  retained 
  as 
  Deer 
  Forests), 
  

   and 
  the 
  valley 
  of 
  the 
  Feugh 
  ; 
  and 
  the 
  forests 
  round 
  about 
  

   Monymusk, 
  Castle 
  Forbes, 
  and 
  Castle 
  Newe 
  on 
  the 
  Don. 
  

   On 
  the 
  Ythan 
  there 
  are 
  the 
  extensive 
  woods 
  of 
  Haddo 
  

   House, 
  Braes 
  of 
  Gight, 
  and 
  Fyvie. 
  

  

  Around 
  the 
  head-waters 
  of 
  the 
  Don 
  there 
  is 
  no 
  wood. 
  

   The 
  valley 
  is 
  formed 
  by 
  long 
  hill 
  slopes 
  suited 
  to 
  sheep- 
  

   grazing 
  and 
  grouse, 
  while 
  along 
  both 
  sides 
  of 
  the 
  stream 
  

   lie 
  peat 
  and 
  marshy 
  ground. 
  Nor 
  is 
  there 
  any 
  wood 
  about 
  

   the 
  source 
  of 
  the 
  Ythan, 
  cultivation 
  having 
  extended 
  to 
  its 
  

   upper 
  waters. 
  Of 
  peat 
  moss 
  and 
  marsh 
  land 
  there 
  is 
  abun- 
  

   dance, 
  the 
  most 
  extensive 
  stretches 
  being 
  about 
  New 
  Pitsligo, 
  

   Strichen, 
  Tillydesk, 
  and 
  Rora; 
  on 
  Bennachie, 
  and 
  the 
  plateau 
  

   of 
  the 
  west 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  Hill 
  of 
  Fare; 
  Monaltrie 
  Moss, 
  Moine 
  

   Bhealaidh 
  (the 
  Yellow 
  Moss), 
  near 
  the 
  head 
  of 
  Glen 
  Deny, 
  

   and 
  that 
  at 
  the 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  Glen 
  Geldie. 
  There 
  is 
  also 
  a 
  

   series 
  of 
  "Moss 
  hags" 
  three 
  miles 
  in 
  extent 
  between 
  Mount 
  

   Battock 
  and 
  Clochnaben, 
  and 
  from 
  Fir 
  Mount 
  to 
  near 
  Broad 
  

   Cairn; 
  the 
  Red 
  Moss 
  near 
  Cookney, 
  known 
  also 
  as 
  Netherley 
  

   Moss; 
  and 
  Charleston 
  Moss 
  or 
  Hare 
  Moss, 
  a 
  few 
  miles 
  south 
  

   of 
  Aberdeen, 
  and 
  many 
  others 
  of 
  less 
  extent. 
  These 
  are 
  

   mentioned 
  because 
  they 
  are 
  frequented 
  by 
  birds 
  of 
  various 
  

  

  