SPORT OF BUTE. 141 



cellent smooth bitch) which can work all day 

 and never cry " enough." The whole four are 

 hard workers, have exquisite noses, never get 

 footsore, and are perfectly steady on all game. 

 My retriever " Auk " completes the lot, and in 

 my whole sporting experience I have only had 

 one to equal, none to surpass him. 



Bad weather at the 12th does not annoy me, as 

 I have no objection to allow a week or ten days' 

 " cheeper law." This year I did not shoot till the 

 22d, and had the comfort of never hearing a 

 squeak all day. The morning was dull, and 

 heavy mists lowered on the peaks of Arran and 

 the Argyllshire mountains. In face of this the 

 barometer steadily rose, and being seconded by a 

 few breaks of the clouds, it was decided to send 

 forward the mid-day relief of dogs, with orders 

 to return should the weather fail. 



Scarcely had we left the lodge gate when a de- 

 pressing drop of rain fixed all eyes on the horizon. 

 A fine bit of blue, large enough even for a Hol- 

 lander's tarpaulins, decided the point in favour of 

 the day; but the "spitty " rain did not cease for 

 some time, and was sufficiently damping to turn 



