Volume 3 - Electric Scotland

SKY. 409
of mountain, appropriated by the Duke of Atholl, has
formed a preserve for all the neighbouring estates. The
Roe is more dispersed, if less numerous. Its chief seat
lately was Dunkeld ; but the number have been much
thinned, in consequence of the injury to the plantations.
On the west coast, and elsewhere, they are occasionally
seen where there is wood ; but, in the islands, they are
found only in Rasay, where they were introduced, but
have not multiplied. And thus may end all the infor-
mation I mean to produce on birds and beasts of the
Chace. It is true, that I might have adorned my pages
with curlews, badgers, moles, mice, cocksparrows, toads,
and hoodie craws. But my able predecessor. Pennant,
has done all this to my hand, and to every person's.
If that will not do, you may consult the Political Sur-
vey, or Guthrie's Grammar; and if neither be at hand,
you have only to pick a list out of Goldsmith or the
Naturalist's Calendar, and tack it to each island. Sterne
purposes to write a book by means of the auxiliary verbs :
it is as easy to do it by the categories, " quis, quomodo,
quo, quando, quare," and so on. It is easier still on the
plan already suggested. " This island contains black
cattle, sheep, horses, domestic fowls, dogs, cats, rats,
mice, and earwigs. It also produces peat, granite, iron
ore, and sandstone ; and the inhabitants cultivate corn
and potatoes. The sea abounds with fish, and it is three
miles long, and placed in lat. 60° 50, long. 42° 16' west
of Greenwich."