A SCOTCH BREAKFAST. 71 



land gentleman, which illustrates the sagacity and skill 

 of these fish in the pursuit of their prey. He was 

 standing on a small rocky promontory jutting out into 

 a salt-water loch, in front of the hotel at which he was 

 staying. His attention was attracted by some objects 

 in the distance, which, as they came nearer, proved to 

 be five porpoises. They were making straight for the 

 part of the cliff where he was stationed ; and as it was 

 a most beautiful day, and the water perfectly clear, as 

 well as deep up to the very cliff itself, he determined to 

 watch their movements. On came the porpoises, all 

 five abreast ; and as they approached, he distinctly saw 

 a whole shoal of herrings, their silvery coats twinkling 

 in the sunshine, as they dashed through the water 

 before their pursuers. The porpoises played their 

 parts with as much skill as so many trained shepherd- 

 dogs driving a flock to the fold. As they neared, they 

 formed into a crescent, so as to shut in as much 

 as possible the tiny crowd before them ; and at 

 length, when arrived immediately beneath the posi- 

 tion of my informant, the herrings being crowded 

 thickly together by the cliff in front, and the circling 

 enemy behind, the porpoises simultaneously plunged 

 into the jostling terrified mass ; and the gentleman 

 assured me, he could literally see numbers of the 

 twinkling crowd engulphed by the open jaws of the 

 porpoises, a bourn from which, doubtless, none would 

 ever return. 



After a drive of some twenty-five miles we reached 

 a small wayside inn, where we put up our pony for a 

 bait of two or three hours ; and, having discussed a 

 Scotch breakfast, consisting of fish cooked in three or 

 four different forms, oatcakes, bannocks, and marma- 

 lade, preceded by a " nip " of bitters as a provocative 



