Page:Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1838 Vol.2.djvu/331

Rh of the party; and the quadrupeds described were either seen alive, or their recent pelts examined, when in the possession of the fox-hunters, or regu- larly deputed vermin-destroyers of the districts. In a wild, mountainous, and thinly inhabited country, abounding in lochs and rivers, and whose zoology had previously been little attended to, it was naturally expected that some interesting facts connected with the breeding, distribution, &c., of various species of birds, would reward an excursion of this description. Nor were the party disappointed, for they had the pleasure of ascertaining that the va- rious interior fresh-water lochs are selected by that beautiful bird the Black- throated Diver () for the rearing of its offspring, and both eggs and young were for the first time obtained. The Bean Goose (') was also frequently seen with its young upon some of the larger lochs ; and the Wigeon ('), Scaup Pochard (Fuligula marila), and the Greenshank (Totanus glottis), were for the first time de- tected building in Britain. Among the warblers, it is interesting to trace the extensive distribution of the Willow Wren (Sylvia Trochilus), and Sedge Warbler ( Salicaria phracjmitis ), both of which were found extending their migration to the northern verge of the county, wherever situations at all suited to their habits were met with. Two or three instances of the White throat (Curruca cinerea) were noticed at Tongue, but the want of woods, and other protecting cover, had arrested the progress of the other ar- boreal warblers, viz. the Blackcap {Curruca atricapilla), Pettychaps (Curruca hortensis), Wood Wren (Sylvia sibilatriw), and Chiff-chaff (Sylvia rufa), though the three first were traced as far as Dingwall, upon the northern side of the Moray Frith. Of the other forms belonging to the Sylviadce, the three British species of Sawicola were met with, the Wheatear being remarkably abundant, and very generally spread over the county ; the Red- start (Phcenicura ruticilla) was also twice seen. Of the Motacillince, the Pied and Grey Wagtails were generally dispersed, but the common Pipit was the only species of Anthus observed. The Pari or Titmice were con- fined to the southern confines of the county, where fir and other planta- tions commenced. The mountainous and rocky character of the greater part of the county, abounding as it does in cliffs of vast perpendicular height, renders it a district peculiarly favourable to the larger raptorial