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wcr6 bound n ould prove exceedingly limited. After mounting ci steep brfie, up nbieb it nas necessary to 
walk in order to ease the beast, we descended by an unpleasantly rough track to a fairly level road, and the 
next ten miles were speedily passed over. So far but little of interest in the bird way had been met with. 
Grey Crows I noticed at intervals bunting the open moors and also perched by the wayside. These 
mischievous brutes are not treated as vermin in a forest; and this fact doubtless accounted fertile utter 
contempt with which they regarded us. Here and there a Stonechat fluttered from bush to bush in front 
of the trap as we passed along the open ground, while beneath the shade of the large and spreading pines 
an occasional glimpse of a lledstart was obtained as it darted into the cover on our approach. Several of 
these birds, and the usual numbers of Willow-Wrens and Coal Tits which are to be met with in almost every 
Highland glen where fir and birch abound, composed the greater part of the small fry that came under 
observation. A stray Pipit, a Lark or two, and some Blue Tits showed themselves within a short distance 
of the roadside ; but it was not till we pulled up for a rest near the shores of a small wooded loch that 
any thing of note came in view. The wants of the quadruped having been attended to, we sat down in a 
cosy nook to refresh ourselves. Before our meal was half completed, a Crested Tit made its appearance, 
hopping from twig to twig in a small fir immediately above my head ; in a few moments the inquisitive 
little fellow was down among the heather-stalks within a yard of our feet, and next disappeared in a juniper 
bush, where he was shortly joined by anotber. Here I noticed them creeping among the lower portions of 
the stems, where they appeared busily engaged for some moments, when they again made their way to the 
pines. The spot we had selected for our midday halt was a slight clearing in a patch of straggling Scotch 
firs by tbe side of the hill-track we had followed. A few scattered birches interspersed with dense bushes 
of juniper stretched down to the shores of the loch, while here and there a lofty pine raised its crest above 
the surrounding undergrowth. A burn swarming with small trout, which were darting in countless 
numbers hither and thither in the eddies, and ultimately disappearing among the red stones, rolled down 
from the hills within a short distance of where we were encamped. Among the waving leaves of the birch 
trees, Willow-Wrens were moving on all sides; and the unmistakable note of a Wood-Wren was detected 
in some thick cover a short distance up the burn-side. Arming myself with an extra-strong pair of field- 
glasses, I made my way into the plantation, and choosing a dry spot heneath a thick fir, sat down to keep a 
watch for whatever might come into view. Before many minutes had elapsed, an Osprey, evidently a male, 
passed along the loch-side. The bird was sailing round in large circles at the height of perhaps fifty or sixty 
feet above the water, and was shortly out of sight. I was considerably surprised at the appearance of the 
Fishing-Eagle at this season, as the nearest eyry I was acquainted with was distant at least thirty miles as the 
Crow tlies. The first to approach my place of concealment was a Goldcrest, followed a few minutes later by a 
Tree-Creeper, whose frequent visits to an old rotten stump revealed the spot where his newly hatched brood 
was snugly hidden. Willow-Wrens were repeatedly in view ; but still the long-expected Chiffehaff remained 
invisible. Though the early hours of the day had been occasionally dull and tbreatening, the weather 
was now fine and bright ; and a pleasant breeze keeping those unbearable pests the midges at bay, I was in 
little hurry to resume our journey. While almost dozing, a low' whistle caught my ear. At first I imagined 
it was Duncan attempting to draw my attention to something he had noticed ; but an immediate repetition 
revealed the fact that the note proceeded from the nearest edge of the loch. For some moments, though it 
appeared familiar, I was at a loss to account for the sound, when I remembered the call of the female 
Goosander to her brood, frequently heard the previous year while collecting specimens in another 
locality. Though I had watched many broods, the male, at this season, had invariably escaped observation ; 
and being anxious to ascertain his state of plumage, I determined to crawl down to the water’s edge in 
order to obtain a view of the party in case a Drake might happen to be on the loch. While proceeding 
with the utmost caution through the cover (there were dead and rotten limbs on all sides, and to snap a 
