To Mountain Tarn 



grass covered, I have seen them squirming about 

 in dozens. Silent children of the solitudes were 

 they, against the lifeless stone and screaming sea- 

 birds. 



Another of our number shot a stoat on its way 

 into a rabbit-hole. I have stretched myself be- 

 side one of these island warrens, with the sea 

 breeze fanning one or other cheek, and the sound 

 of water in the ear. The play was free, as of 

 creatures little familiar with man. I was not 

 their enemy. The stoat was never far away, nor 

 long to wait for. 



Here is a clear field. With abundance of 

 stoats is superabundance of rabbits. And the 

 lesson comes clearly out, that in the same natural 

 way the balance would be preserved elsewhere. 

 Between the new gamekeeper for the score or 

 two of grouse, and the stoat which overlooks 

 these Shetland warrens, there can be no doubt as 

 to which does the duty better. 



Apart from the rabbit and the stoat, and prob- 

 ably the otter, the mammals are made up of the 

 half-wild ponies, the long-horned cattle, and the 

 small native sheep. I mean the land mammals. 

 On the coast rocks seals bask, and off the shore 

 several species of the whale family blow. 



103 



