150 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. X. 



quents some certain grassy burn to feed in. There 

 he grazes daily, going thither about four o'clock 

 every evening ; and having done so undisturbed 

 several times in succession, he becomes careless, 

 and on leaving the braeside on which he rests 

 throughout the day, he feeds rapidly down the burn- 

 side till he arrives at the favourite spot of grass. 

 The shepherd, knowing well that the deer will con- 

 tinue on this feeding-spot until disturbed, watches 

 his opportunity when the forester has taken some 

 other direction, or has not left his home, or, in fact, 

 when the coast is clear : he then takes his gun out 

 of the stock, and easily concealing the two parts 

 till he is safe in the solitudes of the mountain, he 

 betakes himself to some hiding-place within an 

 easy shot, and to leeward of the place which he 

 well knows the stag will visit at the feeding-time. 

 Having looked well to his copper cap or priming, 

 he waits patiently till the animal is within twenty 

 or thirty yards of him, when a handful of slugs or a 

 bullet settles the business. The four quarters are 

 then conveyed home as convenience and opportun- 

 ity suit. If the antlers are good, they are another 

 source of rjrofit, there being a ready sale for them 

 to some gun-maker or bird-stuffer, many of whom 

 have constant correspondence with the shepherds, 

 keepers, etc., for the purpose of buying deers' heads, 



