120 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS. 



calls, and a cheery sound they are to the gunner as lie enters 

 on the moor at dayhreak, and the cart wheels crush and 

 grind over the frozen ground. 



The different manner in which various species of birds 

 regard this stratagem, and the varied systems of reasoning 

 by which they appear to be respectively actuated in avoiding 

 it, or otherwise, are also an interesting study. In a series 

 of years' experience of " carting," one falls in with many 

 kinds of birds, and their respective gradations of instinctive 

 or reasoning power are curious and interesting. The Grouse, 

 which certainly has the most highly organized mental facul- 

 ties, seem to have reasoned out the whole problem. The 

 cart they regard as an ordinary implement of every-day farm 

 service ; they frequently see carts in September and October 

 crossing the moors to collect peats or brackens (which are 

 used locally in place of straw), or passing along the open 

 roads which traverse the fells. Thus they dis-sociate its 

 appearance from the class of human beings which they have 

 learned to hold in dread. It is a further illustration of their 

 acute reasoning capacities that they discriminate between a 

 shepherd with his stick and his colley, and a solitary sports- 

 man with gun and setter, though the two apparently differ 

 but little in general appearance. Instances in clear proof of 

 this have occurred under my observation. After marking 

 some Grouse down at a distance, and while reconnoitring the 

 ground before beginning an advance, a shepherd has suddenly 

 appeared on the scene. Unconscious of the proximity of man 

 or birds, he passes with his lish gait and long swinging 

 stride almost within gunshot of the watchful Grouse. They 

 know him well enough ; " it's only the shepherd ! " and they 

 cower down in the heather till he and his dog are gone by. 

 But attempt to go and do the like ! They are gone ere one's 

 nose is fairly clear of the sky-line. 



The reason which actuates the survivors of a small party 

 to stop, after some of their number have just fallen to the 

 gun, has already been alluded to — a remarkable fact, though 

 it is known that even such wary fowl as "Wigeon will occa- 

 sionally do the like, alighting again among the slain after a 

 shot from a punt-gun. This is always at night. Plovers 



