﻿22 
  

  

  JNTBODUCTION. 
  

  

  coast 
  is 
  again 
  low 
  and 
  sandy, 
  with 
  wide 
  tracks 
  of 
  links 
  

   and 
  sandy 
  hillocks. 
  The 
  general 
  aspect 
  is 
  again 
  one 
  of 
  

   bleak 
  desolation, 
  with 
  neither 
  tree 
  nor 
  shrub, 
  other 
  than 
  

   whin, 
  to 
  break 
  the 
  monotony 
  of 
  the 
  scene; 
  and 
  those 
  only 
  

   of 
  an 
  ornithological 
  turn 
  of 
  mind 
  will 
  find 
  anything 
  to 
  

   recommend 
  it. 
  The 
  entire 
  district 
  between 
  Ugie 
  and 
  

   Rattray, 
  west 
  of 
  the 
  coast 
  line, 
  is 
  under 
  cultivation, 
  and 
  

   the 
  soil 
  is 
  generally 
  good 
  — 
  some 
  of 
  it 
  very 
  good 
  — 
  but 
  even 
  

   in 
  summer 
  there 
  is 
  something 
  chilly 
  and 
  repellent 
  about 
  

   it, 
  and 
  this 
  feeling 
  is 
  heightened 
  by 
  the 
  appearance 
  of 
  the 
  

   hedgerows, 
  all 
  of 
  which 
  have 
  their 
  tops 
  and 
  branches 
  

   bent 
  landwards, 
  as 
  if 
  anxious 
  to 
  escape 
  the 
  strong 
  cold 
  

   northern 
  winds 
  that 
  are 
  almost 
  continually 
  playing 
  upon 
  

   them. 
  The 
  country 
  is 
  flattish, 
  with 
  nothing 
  approach- 
  

   ing 
  the 
  name 
  of 
  hill; 
  yet 
  there 
  are 
  many 
  inequalities, 
  

   which 
  give 
  the 
  land 
  a 
  rolling 
  water-worn 
  appearance, 
  as 
  

   if 
  it 
  had 
  at 
  one 
  time 
  formed 
  the 
  sea 
  -bottom. 
  Around 
  

   Rattray 
  House 
  are 
  a 
  good 
  many 
  trees 
  that 
  extend 
  in 
  a 
  

   narrow 
  belt 
  of 
  about 
  a 
  mile 
  in 
  length. 
  Beyond 
  this 
  lies 
  

   the 
  Loch 
  of 
  Strathbeg, 
  which 
  will 
  be 
  again 
  alluded 
  to. 
  

   At 
  the 
  south-west 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  loch 
  stands 
  Crimonmogate 
  

   House, 
  surrounded 
  by 
  its 
  extensive 
  and 
  beautifully 
  wooded 
  

   grounds, 
  within 
  which 
  have 
  been 
  obtained 
  numerous 
  ornitho- 
  

   logical 
  rarities. 
  

  

  Proceeding 
  from 
  this 
  fascinating 
  place, 
  we 
  hold 
  along 
  

   the 
  coast, 
  which, 
  for 
  some 
  distance, 
  continues 
  of 
  a 
  sandy 
  

   nature 
  ; 
  while 
  on 
  the 
  higher 
  grounds 
  adjacent 
  to 
  it 
  are 
  

   seen 
  the 
  woods 
  around 
  Cairness 
  House 
  and 
  those 
  of 
  Philorth. 
  

   Passing 
  the 
  villages 
  of 
  St. 
  Combs, 
  Inverallochy, 
  and 
  Cairn- 
  

   bulg, 
  the 
  shore 
  is 
  low 
  and 
  rocky, 
  formed 
  of 
  Gneiss. 
  

  

  We 
  now 
  reach 
  Fraserburgh 
  Bay, 
  along 
  the 
  south 
  side 
  

   of 
  which 
  lies 
  an 
  expanse 
  of 
  sandy 
  alluvium, 
  bounded 
  by 
  

   sand 
  hills. 
  On 
  the 
  west 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  bay 
  stands 
  the 
  town 
  

   of 
  Fraserburgh, 
  between 
  which 
  and 
  the 
  village 
  of 
  Broadsea 
  

   is 
  situated 
  Kinnaird's 
  Head. 
  Here 
  the 
  rocks 
  are 
  of 
  

  

  