148 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



flowers were blooming" about us ; the birds were 

 different to those we had left behind ; and there 

 was something in the air indescribably sweet. 

 The rains and mists which had prevailed since 

 our arrival were gone, and the mountain becks 

 tore down the slopes, transformed to torrents of 

 silvery foam. It was the first time we had 

 seen about us, though that one look was the 

 best part of the " shooting." 



At nine, " four guns " (so they called them- 

 selves) started up the " corrie " with as many 

 dogs. I believe they said they were going to 

 "shoot over" these latter, and not at driven 

 birds. This was the old-fashioned method, we 

 were told, and the most sportsmanlike. The 

 quantity of "Glenlivet" which those people took 

 with them would have formed a fell " beck " in 

 itself. 



At evening they returned, bringing with 

 them blue Hares, Ptarmigan, some Black-game 

 (which were not then in season, and were 

 shot by my husband), forty brace of Grouse, 

 with a few Plover and Snipe. The thirteenth 

 was an "off day," and we all went out to 

 gather heather. In it we packed the grouse, 

 which were to be sent south. Upon this occa- 



