C H I P F C H A F F .
were bound would prove exceedingly limited. Alter mounting a steep brae, up which it wee necessary to
walk in order to ease the beast, we descended liy an unpleasantly rough track to a fairly level ro:nl, and the
next ten miles wen- speedily passisl over. So far but little of interest in the bird way had lieeu met with.
Grey Crows I noticed at intervals hunting the open muors and also perched by the wayside. These
mischievous brute- are not treated us vermin in a forest; nnd this fact doubtless accounted for the utter
contempt with which they regarded us. Here and there a Stoueehat Battered 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
nu occasional irlimp-e el' a ltedstarl was obtained as it darted into the cover on our approach. Several of
those birds, and the usual numbers of Willow-Wrens and Coal Tits which are to be met with in almost ciery
Highland glen when If and hiroh abound, eomposed the greater part of the small fry that came under
observation. Astray Pipit, a I-ark or two, and some Blue Tits showed themselves within a short dislaiico
of the roadside ; but it was not till we pulled tip 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 fen moments the inquisitive
little follow was down among the heather-stalks within a yanl of our lis_'t, aud next disappeared in a juniper
hush, where he was shortly joined by another. 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
piues. The spot we had selected for our midday halt was a slight clearing in a patch of straggling Scotch
firs by the side of the hill-track we had followed. A few scattered birches interspersed with dense hushes
of juniper stretched down to the shores of the loch, while here aud there a lofty pine raised its crest above
the surrounding linilwigiicth. A burn swarming nith small trout, which were darting in countless
numbers hither and thither in the eddies, and ultimately disappearing among the red stones, rolled duwn
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 delected
in some thick cover a short distance up the burn-side. Arming myself with an exlra-slroug pair of fieldglasses,
I made my nay into the plantation, and choosing n dry spot beneath a thick fir, sal down to keep a
watch for whatever might eoine into view. Before many minutes bad elapsed, an Osproy, 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 tli"s. The first to approach my place of concealment was a Goldcrcst, followed a few minutes lutcr by a
Tree-Creeper, whose frequent visits to an old rotten stump revealed the spot where his newly hatched brood
was snugly bidden. Willow-Wrens were repeatedly in view; hut still the loni"-ex pool oil Chiil'chall' remained
invisible. Though the early hours of the day had been occasionally dull ami threatening, the weather
was now line and bright ; aud a pleasant breeze keeping those unbearable posts the midges at bay, I was in
little hurry to resume our journey. While almost dozing, a low whistle caught my oar. At first I imagined
it was Duncan attempting to draw my attention to something he had noticed : but an immediate riqietition
revealed the fact that the note proceeded from the nearest idge of the loch. For some moments, though it
appeared familiar, I was at a loss to account for the sound, when I remembered the cali of the female
Goosander to her brood, frequently heart! the previous year while collecting specimens in another
locality. Thouu'h I bad 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 liow of the parly in ease a Drake might happen to lie on the loch. While proceeding
with the utmost caulion through the cover (there were dead and rotten limbs on all sides, and to snap a
CHIFFCHAFF.
twig would have been good-bye to my chance of obtaining a view of the brood), I eautrhl a momentary riintpi I
of a single bird, apparently belonging to this species, swimming some twenty or thirty yards from the shore.
Censiderini; it most probable, from what 1 bad already learned concerning their habits at Ibis season, that
the male, if present, would W keeping his own company at some distance from the family. I came to the
conclusion that Ibis might possibly bo the bird of which I was in want. Retaining at ouce to our oneaiupniout,
a» air-gun, w liich I had brought in order to obtain any specimens of small birds, was rapidly put into working
order. The barrel having travelled among th" rods aud the stock in the luiieh-haiuper, the weapon had
escaped the noiioe or Duncan, who was evidently somewhat 111 pi 1—1 at its appearance. His astonishment
increased when the movement of a spring disclosed an aperture on the tup of the barrel into which a bullet
was dropped. As 1 Hilly ex]>ected to he able to crawl within about thirty yards of the fowl a bullet from
the rifled barrel of this weapon would he quite as effective for procuring a singlo bird, as the charge or
an ordinary gun, without disturbing the neighbourhood, which t was anxious to avoid. An antiquated
Highlander, who was plodding along the road with a home-made rod on his shoulder, hail IN-CII detained by
my watchful companion by an inviting wave of the bottle, as he imagined the old body might alarm the
birds by showing himself at the next turn of the niad. Enjoining the strictest silence, I started again fertile
loch, and laid reached within some twenty yards of the shore, when a Warbler, which passed within a few
feet of my head, settled among the foliage of a birch. I was unable to detect any note; hut the view 1
obtained almost satisfied me the bird was a Chilfehalf; its constant movements, however, among tin' drooping
leaves or the birch rendered a shot with a single bullet almost hopeless. Unfortunately my weapon was only
brooch-loading for ball, and the shot and ramrod had been left whore we had lunched. In a few momenta
the bird had worked its way across the burn; and as it would have W n necessary lo return some hundreds
of yards if I wished to cross dry-footed, I determined to pnx d first in quest of the Goosander family,
anticipating little or no difficulty in again finding the Warbler when provided with small anoi On reaching
the extremity of the cover, and carefully scanning the surface of the loch, I could detect no signs uf the
single fowl. An old female Goosander was paddling slowly to windward with a brood of six or eight, the
young ones following close in her wake, While watching the retreating brood through the glasses, a few
heavy drops of rain gave warning thai the hills to the south were obscured by mist ami heavy squalls
approaching. Itapidly retracing my steps, I soon reached the spot where Duncan was awaiting my return.
Though the delay that occurred was short, a drifting rain was upon us before 1 liad obtained the shot and
implements required. As it seemed useless to start in search of so small a bird during I be continuance
of such unfavourable weather, 1 determined to collect our impedimenta and slarl at unco for the bothy when wo were to pass the night. 1 was in hopes we should still rind ihe Warblers either where my informant
first had heard them, or on our return in the plantation in which I had just lost sight of the doubtful
bird. After rollectiug aud packing our scattered property, which was somewhat mixed and confused (rods,
guns, ami creels having all been got ready for use), wo were soon off fur the next stage. On leaving the
loch-side our course lay through a wooded glen; and as large stones and rocks cucumlierod the track and
rendered locomotion decidedly rough, we were forced to proceed on foot for at least a couple of miles. The
country became at last more open ; and a Ugh brae clear of limber was shortly reached. Prom this point barren
and treeless moors stretched in every direction, though holts of dark and gloomy pines were in sight at some
elevation on the bill-sides. We were now travelling due north, and consequently avoided the unpleasant
elfeets of the squalls of drifting southerly rain. There was, unfortunately, every appearance of n dirty night :
u dense mist was •weeping along well down the mountain-slopes ; and the top and higher ranges were all
invisible. At length, during a break in the showers, when the clouds had rolled somewhat further up the
hills, I noticed Ihe country appeared to wear a familiar look, and soon discovered we were entering a glen
1 was well acquainted with. The road was now more even ; and mounting the trap, we spun along downhill