112 



THE BIRDS OF lONA AND MULL. 



gastronomic point of view the young ones are preferable to the 

 old, and as they are so much more easily procured, he who shoots 

 for the " pot," without any regard for the skins, will always have 

 a very large proportion of the young birds among his game. The 



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young ones, therefore, obtrude themselves so much more upon 

 one's notice than the fine old full-dressed ones, that (here at 

 least) one would be led to suppose that their number prepon- 

 derated. 



In autumn, when the Curlews and Herons return from their 



