144 NATURAL HISTORY AND 



with the aid of trustworthy dogs, the bag rapidly 

 and pleasantly fills. 



When a young and impatient grouse- shooter, 

 I had a useful lesson on scattered birds, which 

 has often since encouraged me to perseverance and 

 helped me to success. On that day, many years 

 ago, I had reserved my best dogs for the evening, 

 and after some successful morning shooting on 

 the hill-top had broken and scattered some fine 

 packs. Most of the birds had topped the ridge 

 slanting downwards, and I felt certain of heavy 

 shooting whenever I had sufficiently worked the 

 higher peaks. The steep ground and warm sun 

 had been severe, and when I began to hunt for 

 the scattered game, my dogs showed signs of hav- 

 ing done their work. Still they fought bravely 

 on, but, with the exception of a solitary cock, did 

 not stumble on any of the birds we had driven 

 down. Feeling sure that we had passed through 

 the midst of them, I proposed to take a second 

 stretch along the brow with the evening dogs, 

 even in the face of my watcher's protest that we 

 should lose two valuable hours seeking for game 

 that "wasna there." Scarcely were the fresh 



