7 o LOCH CRERAN. 



eighty yards from our door, although one can rarely get 

 within shot of them on Loch Creran at any time, they 

 are so wary but the unexpected severity of the weather 

 so early in the year appealed to the feelings even of this 

 hardy bird. This was followed by several sawbills, 

 neither so rare nor so shy, but yet careful enough ; and 

 yesterday, about mid-day, half a dozen wary youngsters 

 skipped and played in the most contemptuous manner, 

 still nearer to us. " They are quite close, you must go 

 and shoot them," were the orders given, as the ladies han- 

 kered after the breasts of the little beauties ; for are they 

 not all grebes, with delightful delicate plumage, and have 

 they not thrust themselves providentially into the hands 

 of the fowler? We smile sarcastically as we fill a 

 tube with No. 6, and with the utmost dexterity reach a 

 point of vantage. All down ! that is strange, for whoever 

 saw every one of a band of a half a dozen grebes by any 

 chance dip together when in proximity to danger ? The 

 fact is suspicious, and we are still more careful in our 

 movements, but soon a little head bobs up well out in 

 the middle of the bay, followed by another and another, 

 until all the little creatures are skipping and diving 

 together in a compact band well out of harm's way. 

 They are so uncommonly sharp, and so readily catch the 

 smallest movement, that the chances of coming upon 

 them thus is very small. 



Why do bees desert their homes occasionally without 

 notice given, not only when they may have nothing 

 wherewith to pay their rent, but even when they are well, 

 supplied with the needful to meet the stern tax-gatherer 

 and rent-collector who fails not to call upon them ? A 

 friend has more than once suffered from such a " mid- 

 night flitting " on one occasion the hive was between 



