CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 213 



parts of the west. It is also in evidence on the east 

 coast of Scotland, and in the western islands of that 

 country — especially in the Hebrides — where it may 

 almost be said to be plentiful. The specimens in 

 the case were obtained under the following circum- 

 stances. 



I was trout fishing in one of the northern islands 

 in the Hebrides, and on my way to one of the lochs 

 I was in the habit of fishinof, the moorland road 

 over which I had to travel skirted the edsfe of some 

 tidal water. During spring tides the sea used to 

 come right up to this road ; when the tide receded it 

 left a lot of rouorh broken looking- ground, i.e., 



o 00'' 



masses of large boulders covered with seaweed. It 

 was in this sort of ground I had noticed en route a 

 pair of Sheld- Ducks, the drake of which was an 

 exceedingly handsome and fine specimen. My 

 ghillie Mac and myself often wished to get a chance 

 at this old bird, but he was generally in a very 

 strong position and un-get-at-able. It must have 

 been some weeks before my chance came. At last ! 

 I said to myself, I think I can out- manoeuvre you, 

 my friend. The drake was not very far from the 

 road, and on the far side of an accumulated mass of 

 boulders covered with seaweed. I was enabled from 

 the direction I was walking in to get into a position 

 that the rocks would be between myself and the 

 bird, and this without showing myself on the way. 

 As soon as I arrived at my proper place, the ghillie 

 had been instructed to continue walking along the 

 road quite quietly till he got well to the other side of 



