124 FIELD NOTES FOR THE YEAR. 



flock of white-fronted geese in a place where a man could 

 never have done so. He was out for a walk with a gentleman 

 who was staying with me, to whom he was acting as cicerone 

 or guide to the lochs, as I was unable for some reason to go 

 out with him myself. The little boy took the telescope, 

 which their attendant carried, and having looked along the 

 shores of the lakes and through all the likely parts of the 

 ground, which he knew as well as I did, from having 

 frequently ridden that way to join me, he shut up the glass 

 with the exclamation, characteristic of a deerstalker "There 

 they are ! " My friend's question of course was " Who are 

 there ? " And on being told it was a flock of geese, he at 

 once understood why he had been led on from point to point 

 under different excuses : for he had good-naturedly followed 

 passively wherever he was told to go. Having been shown 

 the geese, he sat down with the glass and allowed the child 

 to attempt the task of stalking them, but without having the 

 slightest expectation of his success. 



Having watched him for some time till he became invisible, 

 having apparently sunk into the ground amongst the rushes 

 and long grass, his attention was next attracted by seeing the 

 geese suddenly rise, and almost immediately perceiving that 

 one fell to the ground. The next instant he heard the double 

 report of the boy's gun. Another goose left the flock and fell 

 at some distance, but it was unnoticed by him and the 

 servant, as their atteniion was taken up by the young 

 sportsman, who went dashing through water and swamp to 

 seize the first bird that fell : it was nearly as big as himself, 

 and he brought it up to them in triumph, a successful right 

 and left at wild geese being rather an era in the sporting 

 adventures of a boy ten years old. The well-earned game 

 was then slung across his pony in company with sundry 

 rabbits, &c., and was brought home with no small exultation. 



This Shetland pony, than which I never saw a more perfect 

 one, is of great use in many ways. After the hours devoted 

 to Latin, &c., are over, one of the boys, when the weather is 

 tolerable, generally rides out to meet me, if I am in ground 

 which I cannot drive to ; and having anchored his pony to a 

 weight sufficient to keep him from wandering far, but not too 

 heavy to prevent his feeding about the rough grass, furze, &c., 

 he joins me, and the pony has all the hares and rabbits slung 

 across his back to save the shoulders of the old keeper. 

 Standing fire perfectly, the little Shetlander seems rather to 



