172 GLENFALLOCH ROES. 



while the low pass gun bitterly complained of the 

 unsocial habits of all roes that had challenged its 

 powers, avowing that, barring the dignity of twin 

 barrels, it might as well have been a single ! 



A small belt of tangled brushwood fringing the 

 Arnan burn, interspersed with tall firs which had 

 weathered the blasts of one hundred winters, is 

 a favourite feeding-place of the Glenfalloch roes. 

 Seldom more than a pair at a time lodged in this 

 quiet retreat, but whenever they were killed off 

 others supplied their room. As in most small 

 plantations, the surest passes were at a little dis- 

 tance from the wood, and in this instance our 

 object was to intercept them when making for the 

 hill on their way to the next shelter. When 

 flushed, they were almost sure to choose one of 

 three retreats, but the two top escapes (about 100 

 yards apart) might with vigilance and activity be 

 guarded by the same gun. Unless watched by 

 eyes thoroughly used to the sport, the roes were 

 almost certain to flit spectre-like into the burn 

 track unperceived ; in this case it was impossible 

 to guess which of the two top escapes they would 

 attempt, until too late to change should they 



