WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



direct for the same point. "'Deed, Sir," said the Highlander 

 with me, "the corbies have just found the staig; he will be 

 lying dead about the head of the muckleburn." By tracing 

 the course of the birds, we found that the man's conjecture 

 was correct, as the deer was lying within a mile of us, and 

 the ravens were making for its carcass. The animal had 

 evidently only died the day before, but the birds had already 

 made their breakfast upon him, and were now on their way 

 to their evening meal. Though occasionally we had seen a 

 pair of ravens soaring high over head in that district, we 

 never saw more than that number; butnow there weresome 

 six or seven pairs alreadycollected — where from, we knew 

 not. When a whale, or other large fish, is driven ashore on 

 the coast of any of the northern islands, the ravens collect 

 in amazing numbers almost immediately coming from all 

 directions, and from all distances, led by the unerring in- 

 stinct which tells them that a feast is to be found in a part- 

 icular spot. 



Ducks go out to the grass-fields in search for the snails 

 which they know will be found before the coming shower; 

 the field-mouse covers up her hole in due time before the 

 setting in of cold weather. Fish have the strongest instinct 

 with regard to changes of the weather, refusing obstinate- 

 ly to rise at the most tempting baits or flies when clouds 

 charo-ed with thunder or rain are passing through the air. 

 Indeed most birds and animals have a singular foreknow- 

 ledge of changes in the weather; shifting their quarters 

 according as the coming rain or the dryness of the atmos- 

 phere warns them. 



The grouse foretell the approaching rains before the 



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