254 THE WILDS OF SUTHEKLAND. 



Reaching Ardgay about five P.M., we told the 

 landlord our intention of hiring on to Tain, in 

 order to try the sea estuaries, where we had 

 noticed some sheldrakes from the railway car- 

 riages the previous week. These creeks being 

 close to Tain, and the tide suiting, we were 

 anxious, if possible, to secure a male of this orna- 

 mented duck, still required to complete a case. 



On explaining the plan to mine host, he 

 ordered out a fresh horse, quietly remarking, 

 " Now, sir, I am not going to charge you any- 

 thing for this hire." An honourable and spirited 

 fellow like this deserves to prosper in his calling. 



The tide was three-quarters ebb when we 

 pulled up at the first bay, where, feeding among 

 the plashy sands and sea-ware, a sheldrake and 

 his mate were distinctly made out with the 

 telescope. As these birds are sometimes curious- 

 ly stupid and tame, my son was not without hope 

 of stalking them, even in such disadvantageous 

 ground. To our surprise they saved him the 

 trouble, by taking wing in a straight line for the 

 gun. On nearing, they shied off a little, and 

 crossed at the distance of about seventy yards. 



