152 CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



commonly the case in the Highlands, was situated in a. 

 remarkably wild and, during winter, deserted region. 



Having finished a capital dinner, and being tired of 

 my own company, I strolled into the kitchen to see 

 what was going on. Here I found the punt-gun propped 

 up on a couple of chairs in front of a roaring peat fire, 

 with two or three keepers sitting smoking beside it. 

 As I noticed that several sparks from a lump of peat 

 with which one of the men was lighting his pipe fell 

 over the lock, I inquired if the charge had yet been 

 drawn. "Yes," remarked "John," the punt-man, 

 with the air of one who thoroughlv understands his 

 business and has properly performed it ; " she's 

 washed out, loaded, and carefully primed ready for the 

 morning." On inspecting the lock I discovered that 

 the covering to the nipple was simply a piece of brown 

 paper such as Highlanders use for tinder, and conse- 

 quently extremely liable to ignite from a spark ; so 

 I suggested that the gun should be placed in the far 

 corner of the room, where it would still be protected 

 from the frost.* 



Nothing, however, would satisfy the landlady, whO' 

 came in at this point, but the immediate removal of 

 the dangerous weapon. I accordingly ordered the men 

 to take the gun out, and draw the charge. 



In less than two minutes there was a deafening 

 explosion, followed by a fearful crash : the glass was 

 blown in, the lights blown out, the landlady fainted, 

 the lassies screamed, and the dogs barked. On rushing 

 out to see what had happened, I learned that after 



" Some gunners have an klea that it is dangerous to allow the- 

 frost to get into the barrel of a punt-gun. 



