OSPREY. 
3 
now its extreme buoyancy would enable it to withstand a heavy squall, I cannot state from my own experience ; 
but I only just missed an opportunity of satisfying myself on this point on Loch Maree, in Rossshirc, while 
rowing out to look at the islands, on which were stated to be a couple of trees formerly resorted to by one or two 
pairs of Ospreys. The birds themselves had long been banished, and the object of my visit was only to inspect 
the locality, and compare the trees with others that I had seen used by this species. I was witlnn a stone’s 
throw of one of the islands, when, happening to cast my eye to windward, I noticed that, at the distance ot 
about a mile, a regular whirlwind had caught up the water into a cloud of spray, which with irresistible force 
was rapidly drifting across the loch. In less than a dozen strokes I was ashore ; and lifting the boat on to the 
bank, I made the painter fast round a tree, and bringing it back lashed it round the seat. Before I could gain 
a place of shelter the storm had burst ; and the first force of the squall carried the boat straight out from the 
tree to the full extent of the line, and dashed it to and fro till one of the lashings parted, when the wind 
fortunately lulled almost as rapidly as it had risen. In the larger lochs among the hills there is always a 
chance that such storms may arise; and what their effect upon the boat would be, I can only conjecture. I, 
however, always console myself by the reflection that even although capsized, it one can but hang to t he boat 
by means of the life-lines (which arc rigged round the sides after the manner ot a lifeboat), sooner or later 
one must be blown to land. The only danger in this case would be the chance ot a rocky shore. I have 
noticed that large slabs of stone and sharp and jagged rocks, extending a considerable distance into the water, 
surround some of the islands among the inland Highland lochs ; and if driven on such a coast, I fancy both 
boat and crew would suffer a heavy amount of damage before a landing could be effected. One hundred yards 
or so further north of the point where I came ashore there is much such a spot. 
The ruins of an old castle on Loch Assynt, which were stated formerly to have been on an island, although 
now joined to the northern shore, were pointed out as having been used as a breeding-station by the 
Osprey; but the greater part of the nest had disappeared, even at the time of my first visit to the locality, 
now nearly fifteen years ago. "While passing along the shores of the loch only a few months back, I noticed 
a single Osprey, apparently an old bird, flying in a westerly direction along the water-side. Many miles 
further south, on the old castle on Loch an Eilan, a nest in a tolerably good state of repair may still be 
observed ; but although a bird or two now and then alights and rests for a short time on the building, it is 
some years since it has been resorted to for breeding-purposes. 
All the nests now occupied that I have visited during the last few years have been placed on trees, and, 
without a single exception, the birds had chosen Scotch firs. In two or three cases the nest was placed on the 
highest branches, which were twisted and growing downwards towards their extremities, giving almost the 
impression that the growth of the tree had been influenced by the weight of the nest. If the same spot was 
resorted to for many seasons in succession, such a result might possibly be brought about. In one instance 
I believe the tree has been made use of regularly, while another is only one of several different eyries to 
which the birds occasionally return, some years taking up their quarters at one spot, and the next changing to 
another. Eor the last twenty or thirty years they have never been known to choose an entirely new situation. 
Within a distance of twelve or flftccn miles nearly a dozen nests in various stages of repair may still be 
seen ; but it is seldom if ever that more than a couple of pair will be found breeding over the whole range. 
In one instance an immense spreading fir is resorted to (one of the largest and finest trees in the forest) ; 
here the nest is placed among the lower branches, at a height of about fifteen feet ; it is seldom that I have 
seen them at a much greater elevation— twenty or twenty-five and (in two instances only) about thirty feet, 
the latter being the highest I have ever noticed. 
The manner of building seems to vary considerably. I have seen some nests only about a foot and a half 
or, at most, two feet thick, and nearly nine or ten feet across. I never measured one accurately, but well 
remember that, after having climbed up the tree and stretched out my hand, I discovered, when bending over 
