148 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



as they press on one another, or rival clans intrude too closely. 

 But such disputative cacklings subside again as quickly as they 

 rise, and nothing but the crow of an old cock Widgeon or the 

 husky quacking of a veteran Mallard is to be heard above the 

 general chorus of many thousand pairs of spoon - bills, 1 all 

 sputtering and shovelling away for dear life at the ample feast of 

 fat sea worms and rich pasturage of sea grass set before them. 



While we are watching them, or perhaps by a crafty approach 

 are hoping to have a nearer view, the report of a gun comes 

 booming over the flats and rumbles away into silence among the 

 opposite hills. Its last echoes are/ however, drowned in a new 

 and louder noise ; it was but the signal for a universal uproar, 

 a hubbub, a hurricane of confusion. Far and near there now 

 rises the thunder of many wings rebounding off the half-frozen 

 mud, as the birds spring into the air, acting as a rolling bass to 

 the shriller sounds of anger and alarm issuing from myriads 

 of throats in varied keys. The Curlew hovers in the air, 

 shrieking frantically ; the Golden Plover gives his wild plaintive 

 whistle as he dashes by on hawk-like wing ; the Sea-pyet, eddying 

 in a spiral column over a stricken comrade who is trying hard to 

 gain the water, ring out their shrill querulous " Peep, peep ! " 

 the Heron gives a hoarse, angry yell as his broad flapping pinions 

 catch the light sea breeze and lift him out of danger; the heavy 

 Scotch Duck 2 quacks as she bustles away on busy wing; a few 

 Bernacle Geese rise and go off in good order in single file, sound- 

 ing an angry clang of alarm ; any unknown quantity of Sand- 



1 A family name evidently, as intended by our author. — Ed. 



2 Anas boschas. L. — Ed. 



