increasing Ottr Mock, 1 determined (o kill down nil that Tell in out way, and ascertain the Following
season if .any diminution in the number would he noticed, when if then' was a great fulling-olf some
band-reared birds might be turned down. Early in September the liny-field to which the two best
coveys resorted was not cut ; but the old farmer, who would always assist in promoting sport, sent won)
that if I wanted n shot at Hie birds I was not to stop on that account. As they were, however,
merely oaeepen mi larger than Blackbirds, it was advisable to give them another mouth's law, and in
the end they afforded capital sport on two or three occasions. One afternoon early in December, just
as I bad returned from the hill-side, Duncan, the fisherman*, to whom I had given the right of rabbitkilling
on the condition of his supplying the lodge, informed me that on his way home be had markiil
a Woodcock in a beech-plan tat ion near the river. As there was still sufficient light to reach the spot
before dark, we started at once to try our luck and ascertain if it could lie found again. But few
minutes were spent in the search, as the bird llultercd off like an Owl, offering the easiest shot
imaginable, within half a do/en yards of where it had been lost sight of. By the time we had reached
the outskirts of the plantation, which was in this direction surrounded by a wall, the light had
commenced to fade rapidly. Just as I was on the point of mounting this dry slone dyke, old Duncan
quietly drew my attention, nnd whispering "Partridges, Partridges!" pointed towards the left, where a
number of dark shadows were to 1M- seen scattered about on the barley-stubble below us, within the
distance of between twenty-five and thirty yards. Pausing for a moment, I comprehended what the
man had intended, and saw at onee there was a chance to ascertain the truth of a statement that I bad
never credited, viz., that these birds will not stir when shot at in the gloaming, if only (he Hash of the
gun is visible. Keeping low down and well out of sight, I was enabled to cover the birds through a
small gap, when' some blocks of stone had fallen from the dyke, nnd setting rapidly to work, the whole
covey, nine in number, were turned ever in less than a minute. The fluttering of the wings of a
wounded bird, which attempted to make off and was instantly stopped by a lucky shot, removed all doubts
as to whether huge stones and clods of earth had not been mistaken in the uncertain light fur Partridges,
At the close of this season but a small stock of birds remained for breeding-purposes, nearly thirty brace
having been bogged, still there were, as near as could be judged, at least two or three more coveys the
following year. It appeared, from the experience I gained during the seasons passed in the glen, that
should our small stock be entirely spared or nearly all sLot down the number of coveys would be much
the same the next season.
While staying at Tain for the punt-gunning on the firths and lochs in the cast of Iloss-sbire and
the adjoining counties, during the autumn of lMJsi and the following year, I hired from my landlord, at
a small rent, the shooting over a stretch or land lie farmed in a flat district, termed the " IVndoiu."
The greater part was cultivated, and the rest a tract of rough marsh, with a few sandy BOOM and slades
which still remained unreclaimed. Having beard from the owner that the potatoes were sure to bold many
additional coveys of Partridges beyond their usual complement of residents when the adjoining farms had
been shot over, I resolved to keep n sharp look-out. This was by no means a difficult undertaking, as
we were generally up and down the tirth some part of the day; and it only rcquiml to run the punt
ashore and take a view of the surrounding country from the summit of the sand-banks, as my ground
bordered the shore for about a mile inland from Tain to the furthest jmiut of the " Ecndnm." We had
not long to wait, as on a line morning early in September, after having made our way quietly along the
• The H-lirnmul it a M M ] .itemliml •* n « >hooUng-lodf,-eJ ¡0 th.i Highland.. 1. .luring the atiMIICe o( the Uliunt mill 111. friend. WM|
out on tbc bill-oilo il i< bis duly lo (upply the home villi nlra.,n and trout from Ibt kin mid riven. By ll.u tinu- •A m the h-binR-iruon
>•• o"r, sml hnTJnic ]nii iisjilrliM rod, llui.mii ne-i-d be ibm either u- ii gillie, if required, or in f.-mling or >Wling ubt.il.. m ituUil nloie, on
COMMON PARTRIDGE.
firth towards the bar, without meeting any signs of fowl or seal, It was decided to put Ihe beats ashore,
and having left one man in charge, wo proceeded inland. After ]iassiug the Hats above the tideway and
reaching Ibe Hand-hills, a view was obtained of the farm and the surrounding coiinlry, and seier,il shots
were heard further south, two or three guns shortly after being observed obtaining good apart on Iho
other side of our boundary. In the course of half an hour, daring which we watched their proceedings
from the cover of the bcnl-grass on the hills, three or four coveys were seen to drop on our ground.
As the party drew oil' and weir working away out of sight, an individual carrying a gun and followed by
n dog. who seemed somewhat doubtful as to the direction he should lake, was observed to leave the form
and slowly make his way Inwards the potato-fields, though keeping under Ihe shelter of a ridge of hilly
ground thickly covered with furze, llis appearance on the scene added interest to the proceedings, as
the Highlander from whom 1 hired the shootings bad dropped a gentle hint that bis younger brother,
who lived with his mother at the farm, was, iu his estimation, B " ne'er-do-well," who, if be could get
possession of powder and shot, might prove a nuisance if we did not keep a constant watch, llis own
occupation as factor to one of the largest sheep-farmers in the Highlands kept him almost OONRTUTLJ
employed, but he nevertheless promised to do his best to have the delinquent kept in order. It was
soon evident that thus character had by some means ascertained our presence, os be speedily ilkipjicareil
from sight among the furze bushes; after wailing a short time we started to walk over the ground, much
rcgrelliug that the setters had been left at home. On reaching the cultivated land at the foot of the
sand-hills, a covey of a dozen or more rose at once, and three birds fell, luckily without a kicker amongst
them, the heavy ten-bore I carried having, as usual, done its work effectively. On starting again after
collecting the slain, I discovered we had been joined by a liver-coloured pointer, that made her way
towards ns from the furze when the shots were tired. It was soon evident that she was but half broken ;
slill on our moving on she commenced to bunt round on her own account, without receiving a word, and in
rapid succession she pointed three or four coveys, all of which were satisfactorily nccuui.tcd for. A
brace of birds wounded by the shouting-parly that had made their way to our grounds were aho
picked up when we went over the cover on which they had birn marked down; next a hare she
made an attempt to chase was rolled over before she had guue many yards in pursuit; and just as we
had finished the potatoes and were considering towards which point we should next make our way, n
second bare was started, and away went the new comer in chase regardless of rating. There happened to be
a small gap iu the turf wall thrown up round the piece, and for this I saw the hare was making, and
ns she sprang through the aperture over the fallen blocks of earth, I tired, being anxious to avoid
any injury to the pointer, though it was evident from the sudden turn she made that some of the charge
must have taken effect. On arriving at the sput the hare lay stretched out as dead as a stune, and
the poacher's assistant was slill in view going her best pace, holding a slraight course fur the farm, having
doubtless received a reminder that might possibly teach her better manners, if it did not make her gun-shy.
Shortly after, while on our way towards the boats, we again fell in with the young farmer who had
been so fortunately checked iu bis attempts to make a mid on our birds; he was now without the
gun, which hail doubtless Isvu hidden away in the furze, and as no remarks were made as to what had
lieen ubserved, all went well, and he show.il no reluctance to join us at lunch in the punts on the
shun*. On future occasions be usually accompanied us on our rounds, and pointed out some of the liest
parts of Ihe marshes for Sui|ie, as well as for fowl at lligbt-time, and, ns far as I could see, the Partridges
aud hares remained entirely unmolested.
Partridge-shooting with a punl-gnu is a sport seldom indulged in; accidentally, however, I met with
a couple of chances for shots, both of which proved successful beyond expectation. Before daybreak one
morning early iu the winter of 1868, the weather at the time being line and calm, without a breath