1o4 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS. [cuar. exiv. 
where they all alighted. My commander for the time being, 
then explained to me, that the water in this loch was every 
where toe deep for the swans to reach the bottom even with 
their long necks, in order to pull up the weeds on which they 
fed, and that at their feeding-time, that is about two o’clock, 
they would, without doubt, fly over to the smaller lochs, and 
probably to the same one from which we had originally disturbed 
them. I was accordingly placed in my ambuscade, leaving the 
keeper at some distance, to help me as opportunity offered—a 
cold comfortless time of it we (¢. e. my retriever and myself) 
had. About two o’clock, however, I heard the swans rise from 
the upper loch, and in a few moments they all passed high over 
my head, and after taking a short survey of our loch (luckily 
without seeing me), they alighted at the end of it farthest from the 
place where I was ensconced, and quite out of shot, and they seemed 
more inclined to move away from me than come towards me. 
It was very curious to watch these wild birds as they swam 
about, quite unconscious of danger and looking like so many 
domestic fowls. Now 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 ma- 
neeuvres, they dispersed again and busied themselves in feeding. 
I observed that frequently 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 
