3i8 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS chap. 



field ; so, loading quickly, I walked to the place : as they rose 

 rather wild, I only bagged one, the other bird going away hard 

 struck. I then followed the course of the rushy ditch, or rather 

 rivulet, which led towards my house, having already a fair 

 quantity of game. My dog pointed, and I killed a snipe ; I 

 did not reload the barrel, as I was near home, but hunted on 

 along the rushes, expecting another snipe to present my re- 

 maining charge to. The dog presently stood, and then drew 

 slowly on till h& came very near to the end of the rushes, when 

 he pointed dead at something close to him. I walked about 

 the rushes, but could find itothing, till, just as I was giving it 

 up, a magnificent old cock pheasant, which had wandered away 

 from the woods, rose in a furrow of the field adjoining the 

 rushes. He was rather far off, but I killed him dead, making 

 as pretty a climax or tail-piece to a day's wild shooting as I 

 could have wished ; and though I have very often far exceeded 

 the number which I killed that day, I do not ever remember 

 bagging a handsomer collection of animals in so short a time. 

 Every bird, too, was in beautiful plumage and condition, and 

 when laid out, ready to be packed up, made quite a picture. 



An account of a day's shooting is rather a dry affair, but I 

 have given it as showing the great variety of game which is to 

 be found in this part of the country. I had, indeed, as good a 

 chance of killing a roebuck as anything else, as I passed through 

 a piece of ground where I have repeatedly killed roe. I saw 

 an old blackcock too, but he was in a bare place, and rose out 

 of shot. 



Golden plovers and curlews collect on the low grounds in 

 immense flocks at this time of the year, previous to settling 

 down in their winter quarters. Both these birds breed generally 

 in very high situations, and though wary in the winter, and 

 diificult to approach, yet during the summer, when crossing the 

 mountains, I have been absolutely annoyed by the continued 

 clamour of curlcAVS flying and screaming within a few yards of 

 my head, and following up their persecutions for a considerable 

 distance, when it would probably be taken up by another pair 

 with fresh lungs, whose breeding-place I might be approaching. 



The golden plover has a plaintive and rather sweet note as 

 he flits rapidly round the traveller who intrudes on his domain. 

 Indeed in the spring the note of the golden plover, as he ascends 



