2 
HERON. 
long drooping feathers on tlie neck that revealed its position. The assistance of the shepherd, who liad 
accompanied us to point out the best caves for the Doves, was again necessary, or the bird would probably have 
remained where he had fallen. After some little difficulty the Highlander succeeded, with the aid of what 
assistance we Avere able to render, in scaling the face of the crag and dislodging the bird, Avhich turned out to be 
a magnificent specimen. The shepherd proved himself even more sure-footed than the mountain goats* 
that still frequent tlie ledges near the summit of this range of cliffs. After watching a small party of 
about half a dozen that were gazing doAvn from a grassy slope at the intruders on their domain we proceeded 
further south towards some caves near the Suitors f, and discovered three magnificent Avdiite-fleeced 
animals AAdtli grand heads lying dead at the foot of the cliffs. As often befalls the Highland sheep, these 
poor beasties had in all probability made their Avay while in search of food to some small patch of bright green 
grass from which it was impossible to return, and had at last, in a vain attempt to escape, perisLd Horn 
the effect of the fall. So early as the 9th of June in 18G9, while examining the nests of the Herons in 
view from the top of the rocks, I Avas unable to detect a single young bird, all having evidently taken 
their departure from this portion of the rocks. There were, however, in all probability a few late stayers 
on other parts of the range, as many old birds were still flying round their quarters. In the Western 
Highlands I repeatedly observed the juveniles still in their cradles a month and even six weeks later than 
this date. 
During the summer of 1877, ffliilo making observations on birds and fishing in the west of Sutherland, I 
explored the islands on Loch Beannoch, an inland piece of water about seven miles from Loch Inver, and on 
tn 0 ot the laigei found many pairs of Ilerons breeding in stunted and weather-beaten trees, most of which (if I 
remember right) wore birches, destroyed in many instances by the weight of the nests and the droppings of the 
ir s. On inspecting the inmates of the nests on the 8tb of Juno, I ascertained that the majority were ready 
0 y, though several clutches were still in the down ; these were probably the offspring of birds robbed of their 
eggs early m the season. Ten days later (the 18tb) I was again on the loeb, and made sketches of some of the 
young n blob the gillies brought down from their nests, and after they had sat for their portraits they were 
res ore o the parental care. The newly hatched were most hideous little objects ; the body nearly naked, 
le wrinkled flesh a livid greenish neutral tint ; legs and toes greenish grey, hack of legs and soles of feet yellow! 
le soft parts of a pair of juveniles just ready to leave the nest and secured as specimens were as 
0 ows: Eye pale bright yellow; upper mandible dark horn and scurfy, lower mandible yellow. Lo"-s dark 
horn, with large scales, exhibiting a thin covering that resembled a white powder. The call.note'’of the 
juveniles while piteously ei-ying for food after the old birds had been driven from their quarters on the islands 
and prCTcnted from attending to their wants by our presence on the loch was one of the most monotonous 
and discordant soimds I have ever listened to, particularly irritating when dinned into one’s ears in 
the stillness pervading this lonely and desolate loch; it appeared to resemble the clamour that mi^ht be 
proiuced by beating the mside of a tin can or pail with an iron rod or a hard-wood stick. That° Loch 
Beannoeh is not to be despised by the trout-fisher, may be judged from the following abridged extracts taken 
1 m my notes made lu the west of Sutherland during the summer of 1877 “ Juno 8. At Loch Beannoeh 
wind west, morning fine, seveiaal squalls of drifting rain during afternoon. Trout rising well ; C dosen and 2 
maim-itv 0117 I*«»“ttoch, wind west, showery all day. Took 13 dozen trout, the 
reeo 1 7 t " ^ ’'"" over, turned the scales at 3 lbs. According to the 
record kept by the g, Hies and keepers this was the heaviest trout ever taken on the loch, the largest up to that 
from alT™° T ^ '"if "'‘“>1 variable, blowing lightly at times 
quar CIS. >ar oo rig it during the day for fish to rise, though they took well towards 8 o’clock in 
* “ Sure-footed as a mountain goat,” is a well-known saying in the north. 
t Th. Sailor. •• arc tho two rocl.j- ho.dla.id. facing oao'.n.thcr o„ either side of tho chtrance to the Cromarty Firth. 
