DEC. RETRIEVERS — WILD-FOWL SHOOTING. 63 



with only his head out of it, watching eagerly for 

 the appearance of a flock of widgeon or ducks, which 

 he often sees before I do myself. 



The best and most sagacious dog of this kind that 

 I ever saw, and whose cunning and skill were un- 

 equalled, I sold to make room for a stronger re- 

 triever, who however never equalled his predecessor 

 in sagacity and usefulness. I the less repented 

 having parted with the dog, as he fell into the 

 hands of a friend of mine, Captain Gumming, a most 

 excellent shot and persevering wild-fowl shooter, 

 who fully appreciated the good qualities of the 

 animal. The Loch of Spynie belonging principally 

 to this gentleman's family, he preserves the place 

 strictly ; and I do not know so successful a wild- 

 fowl shooter — successful I mean in a gentlemanly 

 and sportsmanlike manner — and with what I term 

 fair- shooting. With due deference to the followers 

 of this sport, I cannot include under that denomina- 

 tion the punt and swivel-gun system. Amongst 

 other objections to this kind of sport is the vast 

 number of birds maimed, wounded, and left to 

 perish miserably, or to feed crows and other vermin. 

 Not even Colonel Hawker's amusing work on the 

 subject reconciles me to this (proh pudor !) his 

 favourite branch of sport. 



In the snow I constantly see the tracks of weasels 



