48 BLACK COCK SHOOTING. 



that description, and especially if your dogs "road," 

 be sure the tetrao is not afar off. The old hen is the 

 first to rise down with her. The juveniles will lie 

 like the eggs they were in before they were hatched ; 

 they are "the spooniest brutes in nature all to 

 sticks," not to except nothing. 



This, as we have already premised, is in autumn ; 

 pass the morrow of All Souls and they change their 

 characters wholly. Then to walk them up to your 

 gun, and bring them down to it, is just the sort of 

 accomplishment not to be acquired. Then they feed 

 around the sheaves, in societies of two or three scores, 

 with sentinels ever on the alert. The best mode 

 .of out-generalling them is, before their feeding time 

 to ensconse yourself in a sheaf, near the spot they 

 resort, and there wait their coming. Or place your- 

 self behind the wall, with which the Highland field is 

 sure to be fenced, and by poking a stone out of it you 

 have a glorious embrasure. But this must be within 

 range of their feeding quarters, for they are so ex- 

 quisitely acute of hearing and sight, that a move, 

 however slight, betrays you. 



Where there are but very few corn-fields (by no 

 means an unusual neighbourhood in the Scottish moor- 

 lands), the plantations on the sides of the hills may 

 be beaten with good prospect of black cocks. When 

 these plantings consist of birch and alder your chance 

 will be greatly improved. Place yourself above, and 

 send some one with a steady dog beneath them ; 

 keep in advance of these as they beat. Let the 



