THE PEAT ISLE. 245 



one chance at a mud mallard, and slew him on Inch Moan. 

 One head. 



Tuesday, 25th. Close and misty as yesterday. Frost 

 continued. Only two chances; (they certainly might be 

 called so, for the mist made it all chance together ;) one at 

 widgeon, which I stalked by sound of their purring and 

 whistling on Mid-Koss shore. Killed three at a shot. 

 When returning, stumbled on a mallard, and dropped him 

 dead. This evening a brisk wind set in. Four head. 



Wednesday, 26th. Clear frost, with a little wind. Took 

 the Mid-Koss beat. About a mile before we got to the 

 good ducking-ground, a heron rose out of a swamp in an 

 oak copse. Fired, and dropped her among the trees. A 

 good omen ! As soon as we ascended Auchintulloch Brae, 

 which commands a long reach of Mid-Ross, saw three 

 ducks and a drake feeding in the nearest bay. A very 

 easy stalk. Wounded two ducks sitting with my first 

 barrel, and, had not my second slipped off by accident, 

 would have killed the mallard in all likelihood. Dick, the 

 retriever, secured one of the wounded; the other made 

 away. The next chance was a flying right and left out of 

 the old watercourse of the Fruin. Killed a duck, and 

 mortally wounded a drake. Both long shots. Marked 

 down the drake, which separated from the flock. With 

 my glass I perceived a fine phalanx of widgeon, closely 

 wedged on Fruin Point. A bare and difficult approach 

 over the long promontory, and very few bushes to hide 

 me. Could not get nearer than sixty-five yards. Had to 

 fire lying flat on the ground. Only one lay. 



