166 CATCH A WEASEL ASLEEP. 



to the exact spot : and as the bird scuttled down to the 

 loch, at our approach, I fired, and laid him dead just by 

 the water's edge. The two birds proved to be mergan- 

 sers, both drakes, and in most beautiful plumage. 

 Their throats, well stuffed with small herrings, proved 

 what had been their occupation. 



We now waited for some time, hoping that the four 

 birds which had gone away might return to look after 

 their wounded friends ; but they came not, and we 

 resumed our rambles. My attendant presently pointed 

 out to me a spot, where a nephew of the Laird's had 

 lately accomplished a feat, not much less marvellous 

 than the fabulous one of catching a weasel asleep ; for 

 seeing a cormorant standing on the beach, with his 

 head snugly hidden beneath his wing, he crept in 

 upon it without his shoes, and actually seized the 

 bird while still napping. 



A little further on, I sat down among some pinnacle - 

 shaped rocks, rising like so many needles from a small 

 promontory, and amused myself by watching some 

 children fishing for their dinners ; the water being 

 a good depth to the very edge of the rock. Having 

 caught upwards of a score, the little urchins took their 

 departure, and left me gazing musingly into the green 

 depths beneath. Johnny soon pointed out a dark 

 object flying towards us, which, on its nearer approach, 

 proved to be a cormorant, bent upon the same errand 

 as the children who had just left us; the spot being a 

 favourite resort of the kind of fish called " cuddies." 

 We stood motionless, and the bird, ignorant of our 

 proximity, came on, and alighting within a short 

 distance of us, commenced diving for his meal. 

 Though within an easy shot, I could not bring myself 

 to mar its happiness so ruthlessly as to fire. But at 



