THE BIRDS OF STUATHBEG. 265 



it fast in my hand. Yes, I grasped it firmly, but not the bird. no! it 

 was only a handful of sand; my mouth and eyes too were full; for to make 

 sure work, 1 had spread myself on all-fours. On rising again, and having 

 cleaned myself of the sand as well as I could, I observed the bird at only about 

 six or seven yards distance, hobbling and tottering about, still inviting me to 

 pursue. I stood a few seconds considering whether 1 would or not; then off 

 I started, once more determined to have it. Away went the bird, twiddling, 

 and twiddling, and away I followed in hot pursuit; round and round the sand 

 hillocks we scrambled, until I was perfectly wearied, and nothing now but the 

 novelty of the affair, to think that I could not take the little creature, and 

 it so much maimed, could have kept me at it. Sometimes I would have 

 been close up to it, and then again it would have been several yards in 

 advance. 



In this way we continued until I saw that I could make nothing of it by 

 fair means, so I doubled round, meeting it fair in front, was about to take 

 hold of it, when, to my amazement, it rose and flew. Its flight, however, 

 was of short duration, as it again suddenly dropped down, and lay on the 

 sand as if dead. "You are mine now at last," said I, as I observed it fall, 

 and was proceeding accordingly to put it into my pocket. But lo and behold! 

 it rose again on my approach and flew, but this time a little farther, when 

 it once more suddenly dropped as before, but behind one of the larger hillocks. 

 It was a beautifully -marked specimen, and fearing that I should loose it now 

 altogether, I determined to put a stop to the Wild Goose-like chase at once. 

 Accordingly, and having put my gun in readiness, I proceeded in the direction 

 where the bird fell, with the intent that if it should rise again it should 

 not go far. Rise it did not. Reached the spot, but there was no bird there. 

 Searched all round, but no — still no bird. The idea now for the first time 

 struck me that all was not right, or at least so far wrong as I had been 

 made to believe. However there was no help now; the bird was off, fairly 

 gone; so I turned to retrace my steps, but not however without first casting 

 another anxious glance all round, but with as little effect. 



IMet my friend, inquired if he had fired at a Ring Dotterel. "No, he had 

 only shot at a Tern. But, by-the-by," he added, "I found a nest and young 

 of that bird there as I came along." In a few minutes we stood beside the 

 young ones. The spot I found to be only about three yards in advance of 

 whore my attention was first drawn by the wounded bird. Having collected 

 the little downy things, being then scattered, and having placed them in a 

 hollow amongst the sand, which Mr. G. had scooped for that purpose, we again 

 took our departure, and in doing so what should we meet with but my old 

 friend, the wounded Dotterel, which again commenced its former pranks, but 

 it was now too late — the truth was out. Drawing my friend's attention to 

 the bird, and having told him how it had already so completly deceived me, 

 he laughed heartily at the affair. 



Such was the extraordinary cunning exhibited by the little creature in this 



