GROUSE SHOOTING. 179 



down the wind, and in another moment a rush 

 of wings, and a whole cloud of grouse are 

 come and gone, barely giving time for you to 

 place your two barrels ; then a few more single 

 birds ; and the keeper arrives to count the 

 slain. But who shall count the wounded birds 

 gone away ? This is the great drawback to 

 driving, as it is simply impossible when a big 

 pack comes over, so to pick out your bird as 

 to avoid wounding others. In the west high- 

 lands driving is not common. Indeed, there 

 are seldom enough grouse to make it desir- 

 able. But there, the variety of game is much 

 greater; black-cock, snipe, ptarmigan, wood- 

 cock and duck, add their charms to the day's 

 bag, and we know nothing more satisfactory 

 than laying low a cunning old black-cock, 

 whether he be killed on a stook of corn after a 

 long and careful stalk, or be dropped upon 

 suddenly in a gully amongst birch-scrub and 

 bracken. We would give one word of warning, 

 anent the corn stooks, for it is on them that 

 most of the poaching is carried on. Into them 

 gather both grouse and black game at morn- 

 ing and afternoon feeding time, and upon them 



N 2, 



