WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



runuptohim.and foramoment or twostand still in a crowd, 

 and then take flight; at first in a confused mass, but this is 

 soon changed into a beautiful wedge-like rank, which they 

 keep till about to alight again. Towards evening, I observe 

 thegeese coming fromtheinterior,innumeroussmallflocks, 

 to the bay; in calm weather, flying at a great height; and 

 their peculiar cry is heard some time before the birds are 

 in sight. As soon as theyare above the sands, where every 

 object is plainly visibIe,andnoenemycan well beconcealed, 

 flock after flockwheel rapidlydownwards,and alight at the 

 edge of the water, where they immediatelybegin splashing 

 and washing themselves, keeping up an almost incessant 

 clamour. I n the morning they again take to the fields. Those 

 flocks that feed at a distance start before sunrise; but those 

 that feed nearer to the bay do not leave their roosting-place 

 so soon. During stormy and misty weather, the geese fre- 

 quently fly quite low over the heads of the work-people in 

 the fields, but even then have a kind of instinctive dread 

 of any person in the garb of a sportsman. I have also fre- 

 quently got shots at wild geese, by finding out the pools 

 where they drink during the daytime.Theygenerally alight 

 at thedistance of two or three hundred yards from the pool; 

 and after watching motionless for a few minutes, all start 

 off in a hurry to get their drink. This done, they return to 

 the open fields or the sea-shore. 



In some parts of Sutherland — for instance on Loch Shin, 

 and other lonely and unfrequented pieces of water — the 

 wild goose breeds on thesmall islands thatdot these waters. 

 If their eggs are taken and hatched under tame geese, the 

 young are easily domesticated ; but, unless pinioned or con- 



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