N 



OX THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 



sent him across for the birds ; he first attempted to bring 

 them both, but one always struggled out of his mouth ; 

 he then laid down one, intending to bring the other, but 

 whenever he attempted to cross to me, the bird left 

 fluttered into the water ; he immediately returned again, 

 laid down the first on the shore, and recovered the other ; 

 the first now fluttered away, but he instantly secured it, 

 and, standing over them both, seemed to cogitate for a 

 moment then, although on any other occasion he never 

 ruffles a feather, deliberately killed one, brought over 

 the other, and then returned for the dead bird. 



The only other essential to the sportsman is a glass ; 

 one of the small pocket telescopes will answer best, as it 

 is of great importance to be able to set it with one hand, 

 while you hold your gun with the other, and the distance 

 of a mile is all you want to command. 



Having now equipped our wild-fowl shooter, we will 

 again bring him to the shore. His first object should be 

 to see his game, without being seen himself, even if they 

 are at too great a distance to show signs of alarm. To 

 effect this, he must creep cautiously forward to the first 

 point that will command a view of the shore for some 

 distance ; then, taking out his glass, he must reconnoitre 

 it by inches, noticing every tuft of grass or stone, to 

 which wild-fowl asleep often bear so close a resemblance, 

 that, except to a very quick eye, assisted by a glass, the 

 difference is not perceptible. If the loch be well fre- 

 quented, he will most likely first discover a flock of 



