CAPERCAILZIE AND AFTERTHOUGHTS 165 



my friend did. He stands to-day with all his 

 magnificent tail feathers spread, and his dark 

 green breast agleam, still in the line of fire, as 

 a dining-room screen. 



I longed for my other companion to do 

 the same, but she scored her triumph by 

 getting two woodcock,which as far as prowess 

 went was far greater than mine : all the same, 

 I wouldn't have exchanged trophies. 



The bag at the end of the day was sixty 

 pheasants, ten woodcock, four capercailzie, 

 one rabbit making a total of seventy-five. 



The light was nearly gone as we wound 

 our way down through the last mossy ride 

 through the now silent woods, into the small 

 boat which bobbled up and down in the 

 swish-swash of the loch, and took us out to 

 the little steamer which brought us home. 



What a day it had been ! One of those that 

 lingers fragrant in the memory and heart, 

 throwing a strong light of brilliant reflection 

 on to other days when the sun shines not and 

 the mists hang low, when the hills are hid and 

 the skies are grey. 



