UPLAND SHOOTING. 305 



a bay, you have only to conceal yourself at the other, and send 

 your man round to where they are divin<^. They will most 

 likely come straight towards you, and, again beginning to feed, 

 will probably every five or ten minutes draw all together with 

 their heads up. Now is your time to fire, if you have the good 

 fortune to be within shot ; but should you prefer two birds in 

 the hand to waiting for their knitting together, you may have a 

 capital right and left when they come up from diving : 1 how- 

 ever, should be loath to lose the opportunity of the sitting shot. 

 " There are many other divers that frecjuent our lochs, such as 

 the tufted* and scaupt Ducks, &c., but they may all be ap- 

 proached in the same way as the Golden-eye and the Morillon ; 

 none are so shy as the former.| Those that feed on fish, such 



* The RiiifT-necked Duck of America. FuUgula Rufitorques. 



t The Scaup-duck — in the West, Flocking Fowl — on the Chesapeake, 

 Black-head— commonly Blue -bill, or Broad-bill, FuUgula Marila. All these 

 are propei ly Sea Ducks ; but all are found to the Westward, as in Great Bri- 

 tain, more or less inland. 



\ •' L;tst winter I had a good opportunity of contrasting the artful and suspi- 

 cious nature of the Golden-eye with that of the more coufiding ^lorillon. Whea 

 shooting wild-fowl on the banks of the Teith, I discovered, with my glass, a 

 Golden-eye feeding at the top of a long creek, and a couple of Morillons at the 

 bottom where it joined the river. As they were at some distance from each 

 other, it was impossible to keep an eye upon both. So, knowing that if the 

 Golden-eye got a glimpse of me, he would not stay to take another, 1 was ob- 

 liged to trust to the simplicity of the more social Morillons. I got within a fair 

 distance for my last run, when the Morillons, who had caught a transient glance 

 at my manoeuvres, paid the compliment of giving me their undivided attention ; 

 but, as they did not leave the ground, nor show any other sign of alarm, I was 

 congratulating myself that all was safe. The moment, however, that the Gol- 

 den-eye came up from the dive, he perceived that the Morillons were resting on 

 their oars, and instantly was on his guard. It was most curious to see the cun- 

 ning and tact of the creature, which I had every advantage for observing, as I 

 was well concealed. He kept cruising about, with outstretched neck, peering 

 first on one side of the creek, then on the other, always selecting the best points 

 of sight to halt, and make his observations. Nor would he recommence his re- 

 past until the Morillons had set him the example. And, had I not known his 

 usual precaution of making the first dive or two, after being scared, very short, 

 he might even theu have escaped." 



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