Thousands of skeletons are occasionally found in the neighbourhood of rivers and lakes after a drought; when water is scarce they search it with eagerness, and, when found, they rush forward without order or regularity to drink, and trample each other under foot.

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The Honourable C. A. Murray, in his "Travels in North America," has given a description of what is termed there a stampedo." This is a hurried march of the animals; but whether from a panic or thirst he does not mention :-" About an hour after the usual time to secure the horses for the night, an indistinct sound arose, like the muttering of distant thunder; as it approached, it became mixed with the howling of all the dogs in the encampment, and with the shouts and yells of the Indians; in coming nearer, it rose high above all the accompaniments, and resembled the lashing of a heavy surf upon a beach; on and on it rolled towards us, and partly from my own hearing, partly from the hurried words and actions of the tenants of our lodge, I gathered it must be the fierce and uncontrollable gallop of thousands of panic stricken horses. As this living torrent drew nigh, I sprang to the front of the tent, seized my favourite riding-mare, and in addition to the hobbles which confined her, twisted the long lariett round her fore legs, then led her immediately in front of the fire, hoping that the excited and maddened flood of horses would divide and pass on each side of it. As the galloping mass drew nigh, our horses began to snort, prick up their ears, then to tremble; and when it burst upon us, they became completely ungovernable from terror; all broke loose, and joined their affrighted companions, except my mare, which struggled with the fury of a wild beast; and I only retained her by using all my strength, and at last throwing her on her side. On went the maddened troop, trampling, in their headlong speed, over skins, dried meat, &c., and throwing down some of the smaller tents. They were soon lost in the darkness of the night and in the wilds of the prairie, and nothing more was heard of them save the distant yelping of the curs, who continued their ineffectual pursuit."

I cannot conclude this superficial sketch without calling the attention of breeders to some letters of the Earl of Morton, published in the first part of the "Philosophical Transactions" of the year 1821. He there relates some apparently well authenticated facts of a mare having a first foal-a mule by a quagga stallion; her three succeeding foals, produced in five years, although the offspring of a black Arabian stallion, yet were distinctly marked with quagga stripes. If these facts be true, and there is no reason to doubt them, it is a most singular physiological law, which, as far as my reading goes, has never been suspected by any naturalist.

This is too deep and rather too delicate a subject to enlarge upon for the general reader. To the physician, however, it is one of the utmost importance, and must soon be either confirmed or refuted. The law, if true, would almost go to prove that the offspring had two sires, for the idea of quagga blood circulating in the mother is not tenable. Imagine a respectable female just married to one of African blood, and having coloured offspring her husband dies, she is remarried, but the offspring are still tinged; she might be subjected to a most unjustifiable suspicion: 'tis true that in her case the species is similar, but the distinction is too trifling to be used as explanatory of the fact. G. W. B.

ANGLING RIVERS IN THE NORTH OF SCOTLAND.

"Once more, O North! I view thy winding shores,
Climb thy bleak hills, and cross thy dusky moors;
Impartial view thee with a heedful eye,
And still by nature, not by censure try.
ENGLAND, thy sister, is a gay coquette,
Whom art enlivens and temptations whet;
Rich, proud, and wanton, she her value knows,
And in a conscious warmth of beauty glows.
SCOTLAND comes after, like an unripe fair,
Who sighs with angujsh at her sister's air,
Unconscious that she'll quickly have her day,
And be the toast when Albion's charms decay."

AARON HILL.

This month ushers in one of the most interesting and exciting periods of the year to the wealthy and active sportsman. August is full of high hopes and heart-stirring adventures; and to those who visit for the first time the northern parts of the kingdom, a new sense is communicated. Never will the young sportsman forget the lively sensations he felt when he first obtained a glimpse of Highland scenery. The sight is unique; the feelings and emotions of delight carve out new channels for themselves; and he wonders that the refreshing and invigorating novelty should have been so long hidden from his eyes. His soul is elated beyond measure, when he scans, through the bright crimson of a setting sun, the lofty and rugged peaks in Argyleshire; and, as he wanders through the narrow and rocky glens, he feels a pleasure as pure, lively, ennobling, and spiritual as any which mortal men, in this mundane state of existence, are permitted to experience. Shooting in the moors is the main thing with the sportsman at this moment; but we know that the rod is not forgotten. Under this conviction, we have ventured to make a few observations on the rivers of Scotland, which abound with excellent salmon and trout fishing, and which lie in the northern parts of the kingdom. This enumeration will, we trust, prove both useful and opportune. As our space is limited, minuteness of description cannot be indulged in; but such a general sketch is given as will, we feel confident, prove of advantage to anglers generally, and to the comparative stranger to the country a seasonable itinerary.

We may be allowed to mention, by way of introduction, and with a view to assist the sporting tourist to form a generally correct notion of the geography of this district, that the most celebrated chain of Highland mountains is that of the Grampians. It commences on the east of Loch Etive, in Argyleshire, and terminates between Stonehaven and the mouth of the Dee. The most elevated portion of this chain lies at the head of this river. Ben Macdui is the highest mountain in Scotland, and rises 4,418 feet above the level of the sea. The mountains of Cairngorm, Cairntoul, and Ben Avon, are respectively 4,050, 4,225, and 3,967 feet. Near to the east end of Loch Rannock is the mountain Schehallion, 3,613 feet; and Ben Lawers,

on the north side of Loch Tay, is 3,945; Ben More, at the head of Glendochart, 3,818; Ben Lomond, on the confines of Loch Lomond, 3,191; and Ben Cruachen, at the head of Loch Awe, 3,390. Ben Nevis, commonly reputed one of the highest British mountains, lies in the vicinity of Fort William, and is 4,358 feet above the level of the ocean. Its circumference at its base is computed at 24 miles. On the south of the Grampians, the Sidlaw, Ochil, and Campoie chains of hills cut the valleys of the Firth and Tay into three distinct portions.

PERTHSHIRE.

This is a good angling county. The chief rivers are the Tay, the Lochy, the Lyon, the Tummel, the Garry, the Almond, the Ericht,

and the Earn.

The Tay is a splendid river for salmon and trout. The farther the angler advances up the stream the better it is for rod fishing. Perth is a good station for the angler. The Tay winds majestically along between two hills. The noble course of this river; the magnified extent which its level situation gives to the appearance of the town; the spacious lawns, laid out with great taste and judgment; the gentle swelling of some hills and the abrupt elevation of others; the wood which clothes their sides, or is irregularly scattered over the lower part of the country; the numerous dwellings spread through the scene, and the highly cultivated portions of ground-all produce a striking effect upon the eye of the stranger. He will not wonder why the Roman, nearly two thousand years ago, when he beheld the Tay in this locality, exclaimed, "The Tiber! the Tiber!"

The salmon fishery on the Tay, near to Perth, is very extensive; the annual rental of it is more than eight thousand pounds. Three thousand salmon have been taken in one morning!

The Tay rises in Breadalbane, on the frontiers of Larne. A short distance from its source, it receives the accession of several rills, which considerably augment its bulk. Soon after, it diffuses its waters into a small lake, called Loch Dochart; and, in fact, the river here bears the name of the Dochart. Continuing its course from this lake, it soon expands into another Loch, of the name of Dochart. Here another river falls into it from the north-east. These waters are now diffused into the famous Loch Tay. Issuing from this at Kenmore, the Tay is further increased by the waters of the Lyon. It proceeds through Athol, receiving in its course all the waters of the county, till at Logierait it is joined by the river Tummel. The Tay now bends to the south, and advancing about eight miles, reaches Dunkeld; whence, taking another direction, it continues its course towards Perth; still receiving in its progress the waters of several tributaries, among which the most considerable is the Almond. The Tay takes a south-eastern course from Perth, receives the Earn, and passes by Abernethy, once the capital of the Pictish kingdom. Soon after this, it expands itself to the breadth of three miles; but, contracting as it approaches Dundee, it there flows into the German Ocean.

The Tummel is an excellent trout stream. It intersects the vale from Logierait, where the Tay turns away in a western direction.

This river is subject to sudden torrents, which swell it to an amazing pitch. The Garry and the Lochy, in the same locality, are also liable to great freshes in the summer; but when the waters subside, the angling in them is most successful. Flies of a considerable size may then be used; and the largest trouts in the streams killed with them.

The Earn is divided from the Tay by no very great extent of land. It is a copious stream. On its banks are to be seen some of the most sublime and extensive prospects which Scotland affords. Moncrief Hill offers a delightful view. You see the Frith of Tay, the rich Carse of Gowerie, and the populous northern coast of Fife. Westward appear upper Strath-Earn and Strath-Tay; the mountains, behind which the ancient Celtiæ retired before the invading armies of Rome; wide heaths; a variety of human habitations and tracts of wood, give to the whole a rich and splendid appearance. The Earn falls into the Tay below Perth.

On this river, six miles and a half from Ardoch, there are two Roman camps; one of them at Strageath, and the other in the neighbourhood of West Dealgin Ross, near the junction of the river Ruagh Huil with the Earn. Both these stations are interesting.

There is good fishing in the Ericht, in the vicinity of Blair Gowerie. The beautiful valley of Strathmere is about eleven miles long and about eight wide. The windings of the river are exceedingly interesting; for they seem peeping out from intervening objects, and resemble a number of small lakes scattered over the plain.

There are the remains of several Druidical temples in the parish. At the back of the manse, in 1,796, there was a mote-hill, or circular mound, where, it is said, Earl Gowerie held his regality courts. There are also some cairns, in one of which, when opened, a small stone coffin was found at the bottom; and many tumuli run through the parish. Not far from the village, commanding a fine view of Strathmere, is Newton-house, built somewhat in the style of a castle, on the foundation of the old house, in a vault of which many gentlemen were saved while it was burned down. Two modes of catching salmon are practised on the Ericht, at this place. One is by pokenets. Towards twilight, the fishermen throw into the stream, near the Keith Falls, where it runs through deep narrow channels among the rocks, large quantities of black mould, until the water becomes muddy. Nets, in the shape of pokes or bags, are then put in the narrowest parts of the stream, and in them the salmon are caught. The other method is by pikes, or poles, and iron hooks at the ends of them, with which the fishermen, on a dark night, strike the fish the moment they are attracted to the surface by the glare of torches, held from the rocks above the dark part of the stream.

The Keith falls are surprising objects in themselves. They have hollowed out deep channels in the sandstone beds, of a circular form, and of considerable dimensions. Some of these holes are thirty feet in depth, and are called by the country people, "giant's kettles," from an absurd notion that they are the results of magic. In dry weather, the salmon may be seen piled one upon another to an amazing depth, waiting for a fresh in the river, which they instinctively avail themselves of to ascend further up the waters.

Should the angler be rambling on the little river Knaig, which is a feeder of the Allan, he must turn aside to the village of Aidoch, where he will find the remains of a Roman station, the most perfect in Britain. It is supposed by General Roy to have been founded by Agricola, in one of his northern campaigns. In form it is rectangular, and its dimensions are about 500 feet by 430 within the entrenchments. There are five ditches and six ramparts. This is altogether a most interesting object to the antiquarian and intelligent angler.

On the road to Crieff, there are several other Roman camps, of different magnitudes.

Perthshire is, on the whole, one of the most interesting counties for the angler in Scotland. The scenery on the banks of the Tay is, in many localities, splendid in description. Trees of every kind seem to thrive well. Besides the picturesque and the beautiful, there are some of the most wild and gloomy views of nature which can be found in any part of the kingdom.

On the banks of the Garry stands the residence of the Duke of Athol. The house was once fortified, but is now a splendid modern building. There are charming walks in the vicinity, and deep glens finely wooded. The York cascade is a magnificent object, and is most appropriately situated in the midst of beautiful scenery. Five miles south of Blair Athol is the famous pass of Killikrankie. It is very narrow, placed between two high mountains, with the river running below, through a dark and rocky channel, overhung with thick foliage, which gives to the whole scene a tinge of the awful and horrid. Yet, a little beyond this, the landscape opens out like fairy land, and sheds a lively and cheerful feeling over the fancy and imagination.

It is a somewhat difficult path to pursue this river into its more elevated localities. Success, however, will amply repay the trouble. We see rocks picturesquely grouped, between which the winding stream rushes and breaks with violence. The top of these rocks, in some places, and the more level banks of the river, are clothed with shady trees on one side and on the other, and broken into steep and rugged rocks, which compose a varied and romantic picture, seldom to be surpassed in these mountainous countries. The angling in all these hilly districts is excellent; and in the deep pools, which are every way met with, if ruffled with a gentle curl from any point of the compass, fine large trout will be caught with the fly. In such places the fish are generally found, in clear weather, about the skirts of the pools, especially if there are large stones in their beds, or their sides are clothed with shaded trees or bushes.

DUMBARTONSHIRE.

The principal angling rivers in this county are the Clyde, the Leven, the Avon, the Giel, and the Tendrick. The three last mentioned streams are plentifully supplied both with salmon and trout, although the fly-fishing for salmon is not so successful as in many other parts of Scotland.

Should the angler feel disposed, a visit to the lofty Ben Lomond will afford him inexpressible delight. In the immediate vicinity, a few lines were written on a pane of glass, in an inn, which are very