JAN. WILD -DUCK. 173 



latter bird home alive to show to my children. 

 When I took him out of my pocket, in which most 

 unaccustomed situation he had been for two hours, 

 this strange little creature looked about him with 

 the greatest nonchalance possible, showing fight at 

 everything that came near him ; and when, after 

 having gratified the curiosity of the children, we 

 turned him loose in a ditch of running water, he 

 went away jerking up his tail, and not seeming to 

 hurry himself, or to be in the least disconcerted. 



In hard frosts during this month I get a great 

 number of wild-ducks by waiting for an hour (the 

 last hour of light) near some open place in the 

 lochs, or streams, where they come to feed. On 

 my way home from shooting, when I have been in 

 the direction of the swamps, I often do this, and 

 generally succeed in filling my bag with mallards 

 and widgeon. 



Just before sunset I take up my position in 

 the midst of two or three furze bushes, within 

 easy shot of where a small stream runs into one 

 of the lakes, keeping the water constantly open. 

 Having given my retriever the biscuit which I 

 always carry for him on these cold days, I light 

 my pipe (the great comfort of the patient wild- 

 fowl shooter), and look out towards the bay for 

 the mallards. The bay is nearly half a mile off, 



