WILD-FOWL SHOOTING ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 153 



walk as if treading upon glass ; the least rustle of a bough, or 

 crack of a piece of rotten wood under his feet, may spoil all, 

 especially if the weather be calm. Having got to about one 

 hundred yards from where he supposes the birds to be, he 

 will tell his retriever to lie down : the clog, if well trained, 

 will at once do so, and never move. His master will then 

 crawl forward until he gets the advantage of a bush or tuft of 

 reeds, and then raise his head by inches to look through it 

 for his other marks. Having seen them, he has got an idea 

 where the birds are, and will, with the utmost caution, en- 

 deavour to catch sight of them. I will suppose him fortunate 

 enough to do so, and that they are perfectly unconscious of 

 his near approach. He must lower his head in the same 

 cautious manner, and look for some refuge at a fair distance 

 from the birds, through which he may fire the deadly sitting 

 shot. After creeping serpent-like to this, he will again raise 

 his head by hairbreadths, and, peeping through the bush or 

 tuft, select the greatest number of birds in line ; then drawing 

 back a little, in order that his gun may be just clear of the 

 bush for the second barrel, after having fired the first through 

 it, will take sure aim at his selected victims. Should he un- 

 fortunately not find an opening to fire through, the only other 

 alternative is by almost imperceptible degrees to raise his gun 

 to the right of the bush, and close to it ; but in doing this, the 

 birds are much more likely to see him, and take wing. Never 

 fire over the bush, as you are almost certain to be perceived 

 whenever you raise your head : more good shots are lost to 

 an experienced hand by a rapid jerk, not keeping a sufficient 

 watch for stragglers, and over-anxiety to fire, than by any 

 other way. When you have succeeded in getting the sitting 

 shot, the fowl, especially if they have not seen from whence it 

 comes, will rise perpendicularly in the air, and you are not un- 

 likely to have a chance of knocking down a couple more with 

 your second barrel ; but if they rise wide, you must select the 

 finest old mallard among them, or whatever suits your fancy. 



