OF SUTHERLAND AND CAITHNESS. 
29 
the continuation of the watershed between " West Ross " and 
" Moray," as far south as Ullapool. In describing the marches of the 
faunal areas north of the county march between West Cromarty 
and Sutherland, we have begun at the southern county boundary, 
and proceeded northward. But in describing the backbone of 
hills to the southward of the same, which lies between the Cromalt 
hills and along the Kirkaig river, we will begin in the north and 
proceed southward for purposes which will become clearer at 
another opportunity. From the Cromalt hills, and at the ascent 
and descent of the Cromarty and Assynt road to the south of 
Elphin village, the faunal boundary rounds the head-waters of the 
Einaig river, which runs easterly to the Oykel at Oykel Bridge, 
with a course throughout entirely within the county of Eoss and 
area of " Moray." It then rounds the upper sources of Grlendou- 
chary and the Ullapool river, which, with a comparatively short 
course, runs westward, and falls into Loch Broom, near Ullapool. 
We have above mentioned the principal mountains of West 
Cromarty. Principal amongst the lochs of West Cromarty is Loch 
Sheanaskaig. It is a lovely loch, and holds several birch-clad 
islands. Harvie-Brown can well remember spending twenty-five 
hours upon the largest island many years ago, along with five 
others in the party, quite unable to get off owing to a strong north- 
easterly gale of wind and rain, having no oars, but only two rude 
sticks cut with pocket-knives from the trees on shore, with which, 
early in the morning of the first day, the party had paddled out 
during a dead calm. During this period they had no food except 
gulls, which, even with all their hunger, were scarcely acceptable 
to the palate and stomach ; and their eggs, being hard incu- 
bated, were even less so ; although since that time considerably 
incubated eggs of wild-fowl have been looked upon as invaluable 
as diet.^ Many wild-fowl bred at that time on the islands. Gulls 
were in hundreds, and numerous greylag geese, but since then all 
have decreased in numbers, especially the geese, owing to perse- 
cution. Now that the large green island on Loch Sheanaskaig 
1 i.e. on a certain occasion, when one of the writers and a friend were short of 
food on the tnndras of north-eastern Russia (v. Ibis, 1876). 
