DEC. HABITS OF WILD-FOWL. 61 



of night, however, the whole community becomes 

 restless and on the move, and the place is alive with 

 the flocks flying to and fro, all uttering their peculiar 

 notes, and calling to each other, as they pass from 

 one part of the loch to another. The mallards for 

 the most part take to the fields in search of food, 

 flying either in pairs or in small flocks of five or six. 

 The widgeon keep in companies of ten or twelve, 

 whistling constantly to each other as they fly to feed 

 on the grassy edges of the lochs. The teal and 

 some other birds feed chiefly on the mud-banks and 

 shallows which abound in parts of this half-drained 

 lake ; and amongst the loose stones of the old castle 

 of Spynie, which overlooks it, and where formerly 

 proud ecclesiastics trod, the badger has now taken 

 up his solitary dwelling. 



The flight of wild-fowl in the evening is more 

 rapid in reality than it appears to be ; and I have 

 seen many a good shot fairly puzzled by it, and 

 unable to kill these birds at this period of the day 

 with any certainty until practice had taught them 

 the necessity of aiming well ahead. Another great 

 requisite to success in wild-fowl shooting is a first- 

 rate retriever, quick and sagacious in finding and 

 bringing the killed and wounded birds from the 

 swampy and grassy places in which they fall. Long 

 shots ought never to be taken in the evening, as, 



