THE PEAT IWLE. 251 



I made my selection, but at last I got several tufts, golden 

 eyes, and morillons together. Killed two fine male tufts, 

 and winged a morillon with my first discharge, knocking 

 over a golden eye flying with my second. The winged 

 bird, however, escaped. We now set off at racing speed 

 for the dun-birds in Camstraddan Bay. In taking a 

 passing glance at Galbraith, was surprised to see some- 

 thing like ducks. Took out my telescope, thinking it 

 most unlikely that fowl would be resting there again, 

 especially so late. To be sure, it was a couple of ducks 

 asleep ! We, therefore, determined to sacrifice the dun- 

 birds to the ducks. A bird on the isle worth two in the 

 bay. Got to them in the same way as before, for they 

 were nearly in the same spot. Had to change my position 

 several times before I could get both in line; this is always 

 dangerous. At last I detected a small opening in the 

 bushes, which gave me the command of them. Fired, and 

 both lay. Sprang down to secure them, but the mallard 

 rose again, so I gave him his quietus with my second 

 barrel. The duck was dead. Eight head. 



This ended my wild-fowl shooting for 1848; in all, 

 fifty-four head, a heron, and a roe. The gamekeeper 

 gave me able assistance, and is the only one I ever was 

 out with who understands that sport. In January 1847, 

 I bagged forty-eight head in the same number of days.* 

 It is curious that the frost lasted about the same time 



* In 1849 there was neither frost nor fowl. In 1850 I had five days, and 

 killed forty head ; on one of the days 1 bagged twenty-two head, and only 

 let off three wounded birds ; but the frost, although long-continued, was not 



