ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 221 



seen from whence it comes, will rise perpendicularly in 

 the air, and you are not unlikely to have a chance of 

 knocking down a couple more with your second barrel j but 

 if they rise wide, you must select the finest old mallard 

 among them, or whatever suits your fancy. Directly upon 

 hearing the report, your retriever will run to your assist- 

 ance, and having secured your cripples, you will reload, 

 and, taking out your glass, reconnoitre again ; for though 

 ducks, widgeon, &c., would fly out upon the loch at the 

 report of your gun, yet the diver tribe, if there are only one 

 or two together, are perhaps more likely to be under water 

 than above when you fire : but more of them by-and-by. 

 Another invariable rule in crawling upon ducks is 

 always, if possible, to get to leeward of them ; * for 

 although I am firmly of opinion that they do not wind 



* If you have also a bright sun at your back, and in their eyes, your 

 advantage is great ; but should the sun and wind favour opposite direct- 

 tions, let the nature of the ground decide your advance. 



I was some winters ago shooting wild-fowl with a gamekeeper who firmly 

 held the common notion of their keen noses. We saw a flock of about 

 twenty pitched upon a long point, and no possibility of approaching them 

 except directly to windward. " Now, sir, " says the keeper, "if you'll stalk 

 these ducks so as to get a good shot, I'll never care for their noses again !" 

 They had the full benefit of the wind as it blew pretty strong, but there 

 was some soft snow on the ground, which I knew would prevent their 

 hearing; so I took him at his word, killed three with my first barrel, and, 

 had they not been intercepted by the trees and bushes, would have 

 knocked down at least one more with my second. The keeper has said 

 ever since that their noses are not worth a straw : my decided advice, 

 however, is never to stalk wild- fowl to windward, if it can be avoided ; for, 

 should the snow be at all crisp with frost, or if there are many twigs and 

 bushes to crawl through, their noses become acute enough ! ! ! 



