186 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XIII. 



pitched on the water and swain about, searching 

 eagerly for his lost companion. He then went off 

 to the flock again ; but soon returned a second time 

 to look for the hen. Three times did he go and 

 return in the same manner, till at last he seemed 

 to give it up as hopeless. 



I have observed the same attachment to their 

 mates in common wild-ducks, teal, swans, etc., as 

 well as in many other birds. I remember an 

 instance of a hen grouse being caught by the leg 

 in a common vermin trap which had been set for 

 ravens. It happened that the trap was not looked 

 at till late the following day, when we found that 

 the cock grouse had brought and laid close to his 

 unfortunate mate a quantity of young heather 

 shoots : they were enough to have nearly filled a 

 hat, and the poor bird must have been employed 

 many hours in collecting them. I cannot express 

 how grieved I was at the hen having been caught. 



Great numbers of fieldfares come down during 

 the snowy weather to the fields to feed on the 

 turnips. They dig holes into the roots to an extent 

 that astonished me. I shot two or three. They 

 are very fat ; but smell and taste so very strongly 

 of turnips that they are quite uneatable. 



The widgeons leave the bay, which is nearly 

 covered with ice, and feed on the clover -fields, 



