WILD-FOWL SHOOTING ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 147 



winter morning, dressed perhaps in a fantastic shooting-suit, 

 with a Newfoundland retriever of sable hue. He sees a flock 

 of fowl well pitched on the shore, which most likely have 

 seen both him and his dog, and are quite upon their guard. 

 He looks round for a few bushes to screen him when near the 

 birds ; and then, with a sort of half-crouching attitude, admir- 

 ably imitated by his canine friend, advances upon his game. 

 Unless the place is particularly adapted for a shot, the flock 

 have probably seen him appearing and reappearing several 

 times, and whenever he is sufficiently near to alarm them, fly 

 up together, to his no small chagrin. But should he "by any 

 chance get near enough for a shot, his dog, not being thoroughly 

 trained, will most likely either show itself, or begin whimper- 

 ing when, his master prepares to shoot, or, in short, do some- 

 thing which may spoil the sport ; and even supposing the 

 better alternative, that the sportsman should have no dog at 

 all, and be within shot of his game, he will, in all probability, 

 either poke his head over a bush when going to fire, or make 

 a rustling when putting his gun through it, and so lose the 

 sitting chance. 



Now for the few hints I have to offer. It may be thought 

 that none were wanting, after the subject of wild-fowl shooting 

 has been so well and fully discussed by Colonel Hawker ; but 

 I have never seen any suggestions to show the beginner how 

 to proceed in winter shooting on our large Highland lochs ; 

 and many a man may have it in his power to enjoy the 

 recreation in this way, who has neither opportunity nor in- 

 clination to follow it in all its glory on the coast with a 

 stanchion-gun and punt. 



The man who engages in this sport must be of an athletic 

 frame and hardy habits : he must not mind getting thoroughly 

 wet, nor think of rheumatism while standing or sitting in 

 clothes well soaked, perhaps for an hour at a time, watching 

 fowl. As to waterproof boots, they are totally out of the 

 question : the common dyker's boots would so impede your 



