SPORT OF BUTE. 157 



pened that the herons were ranged like soldiers 

 along the loch at the foot of the peak where I had 

 attempted my strategy. Directly on hearing the 

 report they climbed the air, and I had just time 

 to cock one barrel and shoot a front-ranker ; but 

 had both barrels been on full bend, I could as 

 easily have dropped his rear file with a second 

 shot. The bird happened to be a fine male, and, 

 for a heron, plump enough to prove that the Bull 

 Loch fishmarket was well stocked. 



Another company of herons have haunted the 

 opposite extremity of my shooting-beat both last 

 season and this. Unlike their usual habits and 

 nature, these last frequent the bare hard moor, 

 and appear quite independent of loch, stream, or 

 even morass. Like their neighbours, they always 

 post " a look-out," but are much tamer than herons 

 usually are. To any fair and open passer-by they 

 give little heed ; but the least appearance of scout- 

 ing instantly raises their neck or puts them to 

 flight. I suppose they feed at night, and only rest 

 on the moor. Since the railways began, several 

 heronries in the neighbourhood of the lines have 

 been deserted, and the refugees have settled on 



