ALONE ON THE HILLS. 79 



everywhere, from the hill- top to the hen-roost, and 

 devour anything, from a chick-pheasant to a dead 

 cat. I remember, some years ago, when the keeper 

 at a Highland shooting-quarter had reared the young 

 of capercailzie grouse, and black game, by setting 

 the eggs under domestic fowls, the little game birds 

 were thriving wonderfully, and it was interesting to 

 watch the shy youngsters running in and out amongst 

 the pine branches spread on the lawn for their 

 shelter ; but these pests, the jackdaws, destroyed 

 them all, chiefly by picking out the eyes of the 

 poor things, and the experiment of home-rearing was 

 never there tried again. 



I got specimens of the stones, and was back in 

 good time, but, on going in to breakfast, I was 

 worried by the whole fraternity. "Ward and Fred 

 asked impressively if it was dyspepsy or headache 

 sent me out so early, and the ungrateful Major said I 

 must be "fey." 



" Ha ! what is fey ? " asked Fred. 



"It is a Scotch word, Freddy. Any one who 

 reverses his usual habits is said to be 'fey,' and that 

 he will die soon. A churlish person, for instance, 

 becoming bland a miser doing a liberal thing or a 

 noodle saying a witty one." 



