explanation, was, however, never repeated. Having knocked down a noisy old cork
high crag of rock on lo a piece of swampy ground, with pools of partially fro/on water,
charge of tlic groom and proceeded to search for the lord myself, Nell, who was as nsua
compartnuoit, looked wistfully after me ami gave vent to audible signs of grief on being
happened, however, to he suffering from an injured foot, I would not run the risk of wi
hard ground unless her services were absolutely necessary. Having reached the spot
• bird ha
been marked, he was found nt once on a bare patch of peat ; and on returning to the conveyance, I pitched
him on to the floor of the compartment, remarking—"Nell, here's a nice hot Grouse for your breakfast,"
never, of course, imagining that she would take me at my word. .V quarter of a mile or more was then
pissed over before another shot was obtained; again I alighted to retrieve the bird, and on returning was
much surprised to discover that the Erst had entirely vanished, wilh the exception of the gall and a fewother
portions of the intestines usually rejected by predatory animals. Nell appeared by no means disconcerted
in consequence of her depraiily, nml her tail was heard beating loudly against the sideboard, giving evidence
of her salisfaetion at my approach. In order to ascertain the manner in which she would conduct herself
for the remainder of the drive, 1 took not the slightest notice of the disappearance of the bird; and though
four or five brace more were killed before returning to the lodge, the whole were found intact at the end of
our journey. So fearless do the old cock Grouse lieeome if unmolested, that shortly after daybreak I have
repeatedly seen one or two alight and crow on the I hatched roof of a summer-house in the garden adjoining
the lodge of Innerwick in Glcnlyon, also on the walls surrounding the buildings, and on two or three
occasions on the top of a barrel that formed the kennel of a Iwecdside retriever, taking not the slightest
notice of, and utterly disregarded by, the lawful occupaat.
Care and attention is always necessary when placing out trips on the moors, or much injury may bo
inflicted on the flocks: neglect to take proper precautions invariably causes ill feeling in the district,
and no amount of watching can make up for or avert the spite of a shepherd who fancies himself aggrieved.
During the years I was killing down the vermin on the Innerwick moors in the west of Perthshire, where
the hills were entirely under sheep, nono were taken in the traps, sill's for the baits being invariably
cii, -in on mossy spits or tiny islets in the springs as well as on the summits of the "false men" or cairns of
stone built up as landmarks on conspicuous ridges of the hills. While endeavouring to obtain speciaiens of
Eagles in the Northern Highlands and also among the Western Islands, at least ten or twelve ewes and lambs
must have come to grief; the land on which the traps were set being for the most part deer-forests, the spots
were less carefully chosen, and the sheep suffered in consequence. It was ascertained, however, in every
instance that they cither lwlonged to the crofters who owned small patches on the low ground, or were
those that had strayed from large farms many miles across the hills, neither of which were to be looked
for in thai part of the country. As a rule, little or no injury had been inflicted on the captives, and when
released they at once made tracks with most vigorous bounds towards their native haunts. A piteous
spectacle, however, mas observed one morning in the Island of Lewis on visiting a trap set several miles
from where sln-ep were supposed to feed. A shaggy-coateil Highland ewe was lying dead, suffocati-d in the
spongy moss into which she bad fallen in her efforts to escape, while her lamb, apparently utterly regardless of
the fntc llinl had befallen its dam. was sleeping peacefully curled up on her hack. Highland sheep are
much add kited to stray long distances, and while iu quest of fresh grass, when food is scarce, frequently
make their way to apparently inaccessible spots in the face of the cliffs, from which they are utterly
unable to return. Many also follow the ebb of the Kilt water along the shores of the loch-side to nibble nt
the seaweed, and wholly oblivious of the fact that safety can only be obtained by rcturaiug tin' same way as
they came, stolidly face the rising swell of the flowing tide till swept away ami drowned. While crossing
Loch Shell on the day following that on which the dead ewe and bmb were discovered, I met with three
RED GltUUSE. 8
swimming under the steep rocks fringing the Park moors, ami no little difficulty was experienced iu effecting
their rescue anil forcing them up hill when once brought to land.
The tenant of a Grouso-shooling in the Highlands will do well to bear in mind that Ins own interests
are promoted by keeping on good terms wilh the fanners, and more particularly wilh the shepherds.
When it is considered that the latter are over the ground much more frecpiently than even the most
energetic of gamekeeper*, and if so inclined can report anything going wrong, the advantage of making
allies of them will he easily recognized. I foond it a good plan to give to each shepherd one penny a head
for every Grouse bagged on his heat; he was then certain to do his utmost lo preserve the nests and
young birds and promote sport. Unless these men have nn interest in increasing tic stock of game,
they can scarcely be expected to exercise much care in looking after their dogs, and there is certainly no
worse poacher than a Highland collie when loft uur<s.lraincd and allowed to procure bis own living; old
birds are frequently caught on their nests and the eggs or the helpless downy mites are swallowed whole-
It is an easy matter for any one who takes the trouble to look at the droppings of a collie to ascertain if
he has been living on eggs or young birds. While driving near Lairg iu Sutherland 1 delected a couple
of collies in the act of snapping up a brood of BUCK Game in one of the fir-woods by the roadside; the
young birds were just able to top the heather, but the dogs sprung up and mined them while on wing,
clearing off the whole number in a few minutes; the old Greyhen fought well for her oll'-priiig,
hut little or no attention was p.iiil to her attacks. On another occasion while watching for some
Red-necked I'hnlaropes that freq itcd the shores of Loch Craggie, a few miles to the north of Loch Shin,
a collie came iu view working backwards and forwards in the most deliberate manner on the sloping
hill-side. A few minutes later it was ascertained that the dog was slowly but steadily driving a blue hare
down to the sandy shores of tin' loch ; and hai ing at last forced it on to a hank of fine gravel that stretched
some distance into the water, he immediately rushed on and seized his victim, apparently paralyzed with
fear and utterly at a loss which way to turn for safety. Iu a marvelously short time, three or four minutes
at the most, dial unfortunate hare entirely disappeared, the skull and bones having been crunched up
with the flesh, and the fleck finally bolted. Probably the gall, which is usually Kneeled by foxes, dogs,
and several of the birds of prey, was left, though our glasses were not sufficiently powerful to detent the
slighti'st morsel on the spot where the feast had been held. From the skilful manner in which the eollie
manoeuvred his intended victim and dashed in as soon ns the spit of snnd was reached, it was obvious
that this was not the first time the performance had been enacted. 1 have often heard shepherds iu
different parts of the Highland- complain of the way in which they had been treated by the shootingtenants;
whenlhis is the ease it is no wonder that the sport is not so good as might be expected. Por
HIT own pari I invariably found them the nio-l obliging and hard-working set of men, thankful for the
smallest trifles that were offered, and always anxious to hear that a good bag had been made on their
beats. It is always advisable to secure the assistance of three or four shepherds with their collies when
undertaking a hare-drive in winter on the hill-tops; working at any distance, if within sight of their
masters, them clever and tractable animals arc of Tar more service than fifty beaters.
Onafcwof the wild rocky islands off the shores of the Western Highlands, where only small patches
of one or two up to perhaps ball" a doten acres of coarse heather are lo 1H> si-en, 1 lene occasionally noticed
a Tew pairs of Grouse, as well as now and then a single old cock or two; whether the birds were residents
on these inhospitable shores or bad merely paid a living si-it, it was Impnealhln to form an opinion. No
broods were ever observed, though my visits frequently occurred in summer, the presence of Grey Crows
and Ravens harbouring about the cliffs or nesting on the ledges precluding all chance of no increase in
their DUMBER*. A few of the larger Gulls occasionally resorting to the shores, and at times rearing their
voung on the erassv shines, would also have proved by no means agreeable neighbour,, on such a confined