WILD-FOWL SHOOTING ON THE HIGHLAND LOCHS. 159 



none are so shy as the former. 1 Those that feed on fish, such 

 as the goosander, speckled diver, 2 merganser, &c., require rather 

 different tactics. To get a shot at any of these, you must 

 watch which way they are feeding, and, taking your station 

 somewhat in advance, wait until they pass you : they will not 

 keep you long, as they are very rapid in their movements. 

 Take care that the water is pretty deep where you place your- 

 self, or they may dive at too great a distance from the shore 

 for a shot ; but after all, they are good for nothing but to be 

 stuffed for a collection. 



The only other bird that requires a separate notice is the 

 mighty hooper, monarch of the flood. To get a shot at the 

 wild swan is the great object of the sportsman's desire : he is 

 not naturally so shy a bird as the wild duck, but still his long 

 neck and acute sense of hearing render great caution necessary. 

 If, as often happens, he is feeding along the shore, you have 

 only to plant yourself in an advantageous situation a good 

 way ahead, and it will not be long before he makes his ap- 



1 I .had once a good opportunity of contrasting the artful and suspicious nature 

 of the golden-eye with that of the more confiding morillon. When shooting wild- 

 fowl on the banks of the Teith, I discovered, with my glass, a golden -eye feeding 

 at the top of a long creek, and a couple of morillons at the bottom where it joined 

 the river. As they were at some distance from each other, it was impossible to 

 keep an eye upon both. So knowing that if the golden-eye got a glimpse of me, 

 he would not stay to take another, I was obliged to trust to the simplicity of the 

 more social morillons. I got within a fair distance for my last run, when the 

 morillons, who had caught a transient glance at my manoeuvres, paid the com- 

 pliment of giving me their undivided attention ; but as they did not leave the 

 ground, nor show any other sign of alarm, I was congratulating myself that all 

 was safe. The moment, how r ever, that the golden -eye came up from the dive, he 

 perceived that the morillons were resting on their oars, and instantly was on his 

 guard. It was most curious to see the cunning and tact of the creature, which I 

 had every advantage for observing, as I was well concealed. He kept cruising 

 about with outstretched neck, peering first on one side of the creek, then on the 

 other, always selecting the best points of sight to halt and make his observations. 

 Nor would he recommence his repast until the morillons had set him the ex- 

 ample. And had I not known his usual precaution of making the first dive or 

 two, after being scared, very short, he might even then have escaped. 



2 The black-throated diver is sometimes met with on our lochs. My brother 

 shot a young one on Loch Lomond. I killed another bird of the year out of a 

 flock of six, but unfortunately let off the old drake, a tree having intercepted my 

 shot. 



