466 



THE SOUND OF MULL. 



THE Island of Mull offers no great temptations to the sports- 

 men of August. Its streams are scarcely more than brooks, 

 only worth a salmon-angler's attention after floods, during the 

 short period when the white water has run out, and the brown 

 current brawls down in volume to the sea. The fish are then 

 pressing up to the moor-lochs which feed the streams ; but 

 should the angler miss these few fortunate hours, he must 

 content himself with any sea-trout which may linger when 

 the water is subsiding, if not too late even for them. 



On no part of the island does grouse-shooting come up to 

 a fair average ; and although one may often get a good day at 

 black-game in the beginning of the season, they are still far 

 less plentiful than on the mainland, and soon seek shelter in 

 the tangled woods, where most of the shots are unsatisfactory 

 snaps. Towards the end of autumn these woods and covers 

 are much frequented by old blackcocks. If there are many 

 trees of any size among them, pretty fair chances may be ob- 

 tained by means of a slow, steady dog. When scared by the 

 dog, an old blackcock is very apt to take refuge in the first 

 tall tree, making a kind of coo, which may easily betray his 

 roost. The dog, meantime, patiently watches, and so engrosses 

 the attention of the bird as often to procure a tolerable chance. 

 It is a good deal like stalking capercailzie ; and as morning 

 and evening are the best times, one or two of these shy birds 



