240 THE PEAT ISLE. 



For the last few winters, the wild sport on Loch 

 Lomond has much deteriorated from what I recollect it 

 in former years. The frosts have never been so long-con- 

 tinued nor so severe as to tame the fowl, and bring wild 

 swans or geese.* Besides, the soft rainy weather of the 

 west has prevailed so much, rendering the loch large and 

 full, that the few water-fowl that do frequent it at such 

 unfavourable times, have all kept to the shallow water on 

 the eastern side. But should a frost set in, the shallow 

 parts of course are first frozen, the loch falls rapidly, and 

 they come pouring over to our side. Every day brings 

 fresh numbers both from the shallow coast opposite, and 

 the moor lochans, now frozen up. In January 1848, 

 there were only ten days of frost, and the preceding year 

 about the same amount of continued hard weather. I 

 spent the best days of both seasons 011 the loch, and will 

 endeavour to show what the admirer of wild-fowl shooting 

 may expect upon such expeditions. 



There are three ^excellent ranges for wild-fowl, all 



* It was very different in my boyish days, when our harder winters 

 often froze the loch completely over, and secured us plenty of northern 

 refugees. I have a perfect recollection of the white forms of the hoopers 

 before our nursery windows. On one occasion my late father, who was not 

 nrnch of a sportsman, and only an indifferent shot, loaded his common 

 fowling-piece with " swan-post," and killed, in the bay behind the house, 

 two swans with his first barrel, and one with his second all fine old 

 birds. 



A few years ago, a young hooper made a presentation of itself to the 

 Zoological Gardens of Edinburgh. It flew into the wild-fowl pond of its 

 own accord, was secured, and pinioned. It lived nearly two years, and 

 I have frequently seen it. 



