122 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



counted nineteen, and concluded that two broods had 

 packed accidentally.* They all pitched in a scattered 

 manner on the side of a neighbouring eminence, and 

 having marked them carefully down, we took up one 

 brace of dogs, and with the other proceeded quietly to 

 work. I never, in my sporting experience, saw a pack 

 disposed of in better style. The dogs picked up the 

 broken birds immediately, and with one miss (mine was 

 the deed !) we brought nine brace to bag. The sole 

 survivor probably roaded off during the slaughter, or 

 threw himself into a hole in the heath, for we could not 

 make him out. 



From our opening essay, we reckoned that this would 

 prove an exterminating day ; but, with the des- 

 truction of this pack our sport might be said to cease. 

 For hours we traversed hills and crossed moors, meeting 

 but one weak brood and a few stagers. We did 

 find another brood, but the poults were scarcely able 

 to leave the ground, and, consequently, were too weak 

 for shooting. From their appearance, we concluded them 

 to be a second progeny of birds, who had lost their 

 first eggs by robbery or vermin. We met, however, 

 a number of hares, and shot seven. These, with thirteen 

 brace of grouse, filled the game bags. 



Our course homewards lay along the base of Slieve 

 More. The evening was calm and sultry, and a number 

 of men and women of all ages were seated on the rocks 

 gaffing the horse-mackerel, or fishing for gunners, which 

 were seen in numbers on the surface of the water. 

 The gunner is the common name given to the sea-bream 



* I have never known red grouse flock in Ireland. Excepting 

 an accidental junction of two broods, I have not met with grouse 

 in any considerable number. Broods will occasionally pack together, 

 but it is not a common occurrence. 



