184 
BIRDS, 
Still not rare in the west, especially on a loch in West 
Cromarty. It is high time, however, that something were 
being done to restrict the senseless slaughter of this inter- 
esting species. Many, apparently barren — or otherwise 
immature — birds, flock together in summer in the west, 
while others are engaged in incubation at the same time 
and place. 
In 1849 Mr. M'lver of Scourie informed Mr. Wolley 
that " in the Duke's permission to the Messrs. Turner to 
shoot wild-fowl in the county, not for sporting purposes," 
there were excepted ospreys and wild-geese. It seems a 
pity that at the present day something cannot be done by 
those who alone can do it — we mean the Duke and his 
factors — to prevent the extermination of the grey-lag goose, 
the only British breeding species of the geese. We would 
desire once again to draw attention to the senseless havoc 
committed against this species, and for that purpose refer 
our readers to our remarks in Dresser's Birds of Europe, 
vol. vi. p. 357. There are ever -increasing numbers of 
localities where it once bred, but noio no longer is found, 
such as Loch Shin and Calva Island, which were mentioned 
as breeding haunts by Wolley. In 1852 it is supposed 
there were from twenty to thirty pairs {E.-B., p. 608). In 
1866 reported as having almost entirely deserted Loch 
Urigil, and much diminished on Loch Loyal, where only one 
pair bred in 1886 (Savile G. Eeid's Journals). Can the 
Sutherland Association and the proprietors together not do 
something to stop this wretched extermination 1 As early 
indeed as 1882 Mr. J. C. M. Wallis laments : — " Seven birds 
on Loch, and only one nest ; seven birds on Eilean , 
and only one nest, and in each case birds very careless of 
nest. If this goes on grey-lag goose will die out " {%% lit.). 
Mr. Jennins speaks of it as only occasional in the Dornoch 
Firth in winter. 
Mr. Osborne notes this as a regular visitant to Caithness, a 
