EEMINISCENCES OE THE LEWS. 87 



season I again went over mucli of tlie ground, 

 particularly the glens, and then I never spared 

 an old cock. Thus I gradually cleared the 

 ground of that worst of all vermin. 



There were two great difficulties to contend 

 with in getting up game in the Lews — ^viz., 

 egg- stealing and heather-burning. And first 

 as to egg-stealing. In the spring of the year, 

 just about the breeding season, it is the custom 

 for the women and children — the men being 

 occupied at the different fishing stations — to go 

 out to the shealings, as they are called, with 

 their cattle. These shealings are temporary 

 turf cabins, scattered all over that part of the 

 muir allotted for grazing to the difi*erent town- 

 ships, or towns, which extend over a large 

 portion of the shooting. It is necessary that 

 this should be done, as otherwise all those parts 

 of the muir near the towns which should be 

 reserved for autumn and winter feeding, would 

 be grazed off" early, and the remoter parts left 

 untouched. Now, conceive a whole population 

 of women and children let loose over your 

 ground in the nesting and hatching season ! 

 .The consequence is, that a general search is 

 made for the nests, which sharp eyes soon find. 

 When found, the nest is watched till pretty full 

 of eggs, when a snare is set for the hen, who is 



