Gazetteer of Scotland

INTRODUCTION. xiii
land, we may mention the colley, or true Shepherd's dog, of which there are
many of an unmixed breed. Of the feathered tribe, pheafants are to be found
in the woods, though fcarce ; alfo that beautiful bird called the capercailzie,
or cock of the wood, which is now become exceeding rare; the ptarmigan,
th. black game, and groufe, are abundant in the heathy mountains; and in
the ,low grounds i'.re partridges, fnipes, plovers, &c. Scotland has alfo moft
of the Englifh hnging birds, except the nightingale. The aquatic fowls, as
being more common in the iflands, are enumerated in the Gazetteer under
tr : article Orkney. The domeftic fowls are the fame as thofe of England.
1 he fifti ?re the fame which are ufually found in the North Sea ; fuch as her-
rings, mackarel, haddocks, fturgeon, cod, whitings, turbot, fkate, &c. The
rive", teem with abundance of trout, falmon, eels, &c. ; and the lakes abound
with pike ana perch'. The coafts are abundantly flocked with fhell-fifh ; a§
lobfters. oyfters, &c. all of which form a confiderable fource of wealth, from
exportation or home consumption. Whales are fometimes thrown upon the
coafts of Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebrides ; and, befides other fiih which
are caught for their oil, we may mention the cearban or fun-fifh, the fifhery
pi which Is profecuted with confiderable fuccefs on the weStern coafts.
INHABITANTS, MANNERS, and CUSTOMS.
The line of divifion into Highlands and Lowlands, forms alfo a diftinc-
tion in the language, drefs, manners, and cuftoms of the inhabitants of the
two divifions. While the Lowlanders partly refemble the Englifh and the
French, the Highlanders have a country of their own, totally different from
the other in manners, cuftoms, and language ; a particular account of which
is given under the article Highlands of the Gazetteer. The chief peculiar-
ities which the Lowlanders retain, are the amufements of golf and curlings
which are the Standing Summer and winter diverfions of the Scots. Tlie
former game, which has been known and pradifed in Scotland for upwards
of four hundred years, is now fo univerfal'y introduced into almoft every part
of the world, that any defcription of it is unneceffary. The latter requires
confiderable Strength, and is performed with large Scones from twenty to one
hundred weight, which the competitors hurl from a common Stand to a mark
at a certain diftance, and whoever is neareft the mark is the viclor. Dancing
is alfo a favourite amufement of this country ; and particularly reels, adapted
to the Strathfpeys, and other pieces of national mafic.