SNIPE WILD -DUCKS . 95 



This I soon learned by unpleasant experience : my two 

 companions, on the other hand, were too well ac- 

 quainted with the place to which we were going, as well 

 as with the merits of such attire, to follow my example. 

 Their dress on the occasion was of the ordinary kind, 

 and that the oldest and least valuable they possessed. 



Arrived on the spot, an event which was accom- 

 plished by the agency of pony and dogcart, our first 

 step was to try some marshy-looking ground for snipe. 

 We soon put up a small wisp, and Walter and Alister 

 each brought down his bird. A second and third lot 

 rose as we shot, and alighted again at no great 

 distance; but as we were proceeding to follow them, 

 about a score of ducks arose from the loch, alarmed at 

 our firing, and took their departure seawards. Re- 

 solving to profit by the hint, we at once abandoned the 

 search for snipe, and took our way to the loch itself, 

 bent on larger game ; before however we had reached 

 the bank, several more ducks had risen, and were 

 following in the wake of the first flock. We now 

 gained the margin of the loch, and cautiously ap- 

 proaching the only open piece of water in its whole 

 extent, saw several broods of young ducks, still at that 

 age when they go by the significant name of "flappers," 

 scuttling off, followed by their loquacious mothers, and 

 seeking the shelter of the weeds, which growing to the 

 height of full two feet above the surface of the water, 

 afforded them an excellent cover. 



Just as we stepped up to the very edge, two teal 

 which had previously lain snugly ensconced under the 

 bank, darted forth from their retreat, alarmed by our 

 approach: every step shaking the spongy soil to the 

 distance of three or four feet around us, and thus 

 telegraphing the coming danger. We watched them 



