196 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XIV. 



wing, it seems to consist wholly of different pairs 

 of birds. 



I have tried two or three days to get at the 

 largest wild-swan on Loch Lee, but without suc- 

 cess ; my fruitless attempts I do not mark down 

 — Horas non numero nisi serenas. However, on 

 the 6 th, a fine sunny day, as I passed at some 

 distance from the lake where the swans were feed- 

 ing, they rose and alighted on the largest of the 

 pieces of water ; seeing this, and that they were 

 not inclined to take to the sea immediately, I sent 

 the boy who was with me round the lake where 

 they were, while I made my preparations for re- 

 ceiving them at their feeding lake, supposing that 

 they would return to it if allowed to rest for an 

 hour or so and then quietly moved ; even if they 

 did not alight, I knew that I was pretty sure of their 

 line of flight to the sea, and they seldom flew very 

 high. I waded across part of the loch to an island, 

 where I determined to await them, and set to work 

 to make up a hiding-place of long heather, etc. 

 This done, I loaded my gun with large shot and 

 cartridges, and established myself behind my bar- 

 ricade. With my glass I saw the boy and retriever 

 go round towards them ; the appearance of the 

 swans floating quietly on the water was most pic- 

 turesque, their white forms being clearly defined on 



