ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 231 



yourself no trouble about them, as they will probably not 

 leave their resting-place until they feed in the evening. 

 Always try to get a heavy shot at widgeon, which, with 

 a little patience, you may generally accomplish. Teal are 

 usually in small flocks ; so that, if you can get two or 

 three in line, you had better fire, for fear of losing the 

 sitting chance altogether. I once killed six at a shot ; 

 but, except when they collect in small ponds and drains 

 about the loch-side, so good an opportunity seldom occurs. 

 I have occasionally seen shovellers on our lochs ; but only 

 in the hardest winters. They resemble wild-ducks in 

 their habits : the only one I ever shot was among a flock 

 of ducks. 



Good sport need never be expected when the loch is 

 large, as many of the fowl swim up creeks, and among 

 the morasses in-shore, where it is difficult even to get a 

 flying shot ; while those that remain on the margin of 

 the loch are so concealed by the bushes, &c., that it is 

 quite* impossible to see them. The lower the loch the 

 better; at all events the shore should be clearly defined. 

 At such times, wild-fowl have always favourite haunts for 

 feeding and resting. 



There is a common saying, that specimens of all the 

 different kinds of water-fowl which frequent the loch in 

 winter present themselves during the harvest-moon. This 

 is erroneous; for even the morillon, earliest of the diver 

 tribe, seldom appears so soon ; and the tufted and scaup- 

 ducks, dun-birds, &c., never until the winter sets in. 

 Multitudes of wild-ducks do come down from the moors, 



