SHOOTING SWANS 221 



came the able generalship of my keeper, who, seeing that they 

 were inclined to feed at the other end of the loch, began to 

 drive them towards me, at the same time taking great care not to 

 alarm them enough to make them take flight. This he did 

 by appearing at a long distance off, and moving about without 

 approaching the birds, but as if he was pulling grass or engaged 

 in some other piece of labour. When the birds first saw him, 

 they all collected in a cluster, and giving a general low cry of 

 alarm, appeared ready to take flight : this was the ticklish 

 moment, but, soon outwitted by his manoeuvres, they dispersed 

 again and busied themselves in feeding. I observed that fre- 

 quently all their heads were under the water at once, excepting 

 one — but invariably one bird kept his head and neck perfectly 

 erect, and carefully watched on every side to prevent their being 

 taken by surprise ; when he wanted to feed, he touched any 

 passer-by, who immediately relieved him in his guard, and he 

 in his turn called on some other swan to take his place as 

 sentinel. 



After waiting some little time, and closely watching the 

 birds in all their graceful movements, sometimes having a 

 swan within half a shot of me, but never getting two or three 

 together, I thought of some of my assistant's instruction which 

 he had given me en route in the morning, and I imitated, as 

 well as I could, the bark of a dog : immediately all the swans 

 collected in a body, and looked round to see where the sound 

 came from. I was not above forty yards from them, so gently 

 raising myself on my elbow, I pulled the trigger, aiming at a 

 forest of necks. To my dismay, the gun did not go off, the 

 wet or something else having spoilt the cap. The birds were 

 slow in rising, so without pulling the other trigger, I put on 

 another cap, and standing up, fired right and left at two of the 

 largest swans as they rose from the loch. The cartridge told 

 well on one, who fell dead into the water ; 1:he other flew off 

 after the rest of the flock, but presently turned back, and after 

 making two or three graceful sweeps over the body of his 

 companion, fell headlong, perfectly dead, almost upon her body. 

 The rest of the birds, after flying a short . distance away, also 

 returned, and flew for a minute or two in a confused flock over 

 the two dead swans, uttering their bugle-like and harmonious 

 cries, but finding that they were not joined by their companions, 



