216 A BROWN 1 SNIPE. CHAP. xi. 



" Having reloaded in case of need, I then ran, as 

 well as I was able, to pick him up. I gained the place, 

 and after some difficulty, having passed and repassed 

 him several times, I at last found my bird lying- 

 stretched out at full length amongst the pebbles, and 

 to all appearance a corpse. It was now that I as- 

 certained with satisfaction and pride, that the great 

 rarity I had met with was neither more nor less than 

 a specimen of the Brown Snipe, and a splendid one 

 it was too, being evidently an old bird. Being 

 almost intoxicated with delight, I sat down, and hav- 

 ing taken some cotton wadding from my pocket to 

 wrap round the injured leg, and stop up any other 

 wound that he might have received, I took him up 

 for that purpose. But, alas ! there is many a slip be- 

 tween the cup and the lip. 



" Away flew the bird just as I was about to lay 

 him on my knee ; he actually slipped out from 

 amongst my very fingers. 1 fired both barrels as 

 soon as I could get a hold of my gun, sitting though 

 I was. But on the bird went, whistling as he flew, 

 despite the dangling of his shattered lirnb, but 

 whether in derision at my stupidity, or exulting in 

 his own miraculous and fortunate escape, I cannot 

 tell. Reaching the burn mouth of Boyndie, he again 

 alighted amongst the tumbling waves there. It was 

 now gloaming, and what between one thing or 

 other, I was rather like an aspen leaf than anything 

 else. Follow, however, I did ; I searched the place, 



