2o6 tVILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAt. 



wetting our feet. The first one that we came to I looked at 

 with wonder. Instead of a mere thread of crystal water, creep- 

 ing rather than flowing through the stones which filled its bed, 

 we had to wade through a roaring torrent, which was carrying 

 in its course pieces of turf, heather, and even large stones. 

 We crossed with some difficulty, holding by each other's collar. 

 Two or three burns we passed in this manner, the rain still 

 continuing, and if possible increasing. I looked round at my 

 companion, and was only prevented from laughing at his limp 

 and rueful countenance by thinking that he probably had just 

 as much cause for merriment in my appearance. The poor 

 hound was perfectly miserable, as she followed me with the 

 rain running in streams down her long ears. 



After some time we came opposite the shealing where we 

 had been with the shepherds in the morning. And here my 

 companion said that he must leave me, having particular busi- 

 ness with the other men, who had come on purpose to meet him 

 there. He warned me to be very careful in crossing the burns, 

 as, if I once lost my footing in any of them, I should probably 

 never get up again. 



Off I tramped through the sodden ground. I managed 

 the first burn pretty well. But the next one was wider, and, 

 if possible, more rapid. I had no stick to sound its depth, but 

 saw that it was too strong to venture into ; so I turned up its 

 course, hoping it would get narrower and shallower higher up. 

 Its banks were steep and rocky, and covered in some parts with 

 hazel and birch. On a withered branch of one of the latter 

 was a large buzzard,^ sitting mournfully in the rain, and uttering 

 its shrill, wild cry, a kind of note between a whistle and a 

 scream. The bird sat so tamely, that in a pet I determined to 

 try if I could not stop his ominous-sounding voice with a rifle- 

 ball. But, after taking a most deliberate aim at him, the copper 

 cap snapped. I tried another with equally bad success. So I 

 had to continue my way, leaving the bird where he was. I 

 could find no place in the burn that was fordable for some 



> The buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) is regarded by Gray as a useful bird in game-preserves 

 (Gray, p. 46). Having kept one in confinement for nearly five years, we can quite con- 

 firm Gray's view. Our bird, though kept in a large cage with old and young rabbits and 

 guinea-pigs, never injured any of them, even when itself pressed for food. It lived solely 

 on carrion, thus rendering it a strong probability that the buzzard does not kill young 

 rabbits or poults. 



