156 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [CHAP. xix. 



quite relieved at his departure, and recommenced feeding. I 

 cocked my gun and arranged my ambuscade, so as to be ready 

 for them when they came opposite to me ; presently one or two 

 stragglers passed within ten yards ; I pulled the dead grass in 

 front of my face, so that they could not see me, and waited for 

 the main flock, who soon came by, feeding hurriedly as they 

 passed ; when they were opposite to me, I threw down part of the 

 clods and grass that concealed me, and fired both barrels at the 

 thickest part of the flock : three fell dead, and two others 

 dropped before the flock had flown many hundred yards. Simon 

 ran from his hiding-place to secure them ; one was dead, the 

 other rose again, but was stopped by a charge from his gun. 

 Our five geese were no light load to carry home, as they had 

 been feeding on the corn for a fortnight or three weeks, and had 

 become very fat and heavy. 



The common grey goose, after having fed for some time in the 

 fresh-sown corn-fields, is by no means a bad bird for the larder. 

 But before they can procure grain to feed on, their flesh is neither 

 so firm nor so well flavoured. In this country there are three 

 kinds of geese, all called by the common name of " wild geese," 

 namely, the white-fronted goose, already mentioned ; the com- 

 mon grey-leg goose, Anas Anser ; and the bean-goose. The 

 latter kind differs from the grey goose in having a small black 

 mark at the end of their bill, about the size and colour of a 

 horse-bean. This bird, too, differs in being rather smaller and 

 more dark in its general colour than the grey goose. It is a 

 great libel to accuse a goose of being a silly bird. Even a tame 

 goose shows much instinct, and attachment ; and were its habits 

 more closely observed, the tame goose would be found to be by 

 no means wanting in general cleverness. Its watchfulness at 

 nighttime is, and always has been, proverbial ; and it certainly is 

 endowed with a strong organ of self-preservation. You may 

 drive over dog, cat, hen, or pig; but I defy you to drive over a 

 tame goose. As for wild geese, I know of no animal, biped or 

 quadruped, that is so difficult to deceive or approach. Their 

 senses of hearing, seeing, and smelling are all extremely acute ; 

 independently of which, they appear to act in so organized and 

 cautious a manner when feeding or roosting, as to defy all danger. 

 Many a time has my utmost caution been of no avail in attempt- 



