WILD-FOWL SHOOTING ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 155 



and take your own place fifteen yards from it, and about forty 

 in advance of him. The ducks will then rise nearly opposite 

 to you. To walk along the drain is not a good plan, as they 

 will generally rise either out of distance or at very long shots; 

 and if you keep a little way off, they may not rise at all. 

 When the loch is low, the sportsman may often get a capital 

 shot at ducks the first warm sunny days in March, as they 

 collect on the grassy places at the margin, to feed upon the 

 insects brought into life by the genial heat. 



But to return to our wild-fowl shooter, whom we left, glass 

 in hand, looking out for divers. He sees a couple plying their 

 vocation fifteen or twenty yards from the shore, about half 

 a quarter of a mile from where he stands. He selects his 

 vantage-ground as near as possible for a last look before com- 

 mencing his attack. Having gained this, he makes his dog lie 

 down, and peeps cautiously until he sees the birds waits till 

 they both dive together ; then running forward whilst they are 

 under water, again conceals himself, expecting their reappear- 

 ance. The great difficulty is always to keep in view the exact 

 spot where the birds come up : once lose sight of it, your pro- 

 gress is stopped, and, in recovering your advantage, the birds 

 are almost certain to see you and fly. When within one race 

 of the divers, cock both barrels, and as soon as they together 

 disappear, run to the nearest point on the shore for a shot. 

 If the day be calm, the rising bubbles will show where they 

 are ; you can then clap your gun to your shoulder, ready to 

 fire. Always in such cases shoot on wing, and be sure to fire 

 well forward. Should a diver only be winged, it is useless to 

 tire your retriever in pursuit ; but if he is at all struck about 

 the legs also, a good dog should be able to secure him. 



So much for the small morillon. The golden-eye is a much 

 more artful bird, and requires more caution. If, without 

 seeing an enemy, he is at all alarmed while diving near the 

 shore, he will probably swim out to a considerable distance 

 reconnoitring all the time, and making a noise something like 



