WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS ST JOHN presented to the LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO by FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY Mrs. Henry T. Woodward donor LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OP CALIFORNIA SAN DIE&O The Wild Sports & Natural History OF THE HIGHLANDS CHARLES ST. JOHN SHORT SKETCHES OF THE Wild Sports & Natural History OF THE HIGHLANDS BY CHARLES A ST. JOHN A NEW EDITION, WITH THE AUTHOR'S NOTES, AND A MEMOIR BY THE REV. M. G. WATKINS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1893 PREFACE THE appearance of another, the ninth, edition of St. John's Highland Sports renders a few words of introduction necessary for readers separated by nearly half a century from the time when the book was first published. It delighted a past gener- ation, and has probably done more than any book since written to foster a love of out-door sport among the wilder birds and animals of the British Isles. But the author pos- sesses a stronger claim to the gratitude of naturalists and sportsmen. He upholds the highest traditions of true sport : on the one hand setting the example of refraining from all that savours of taking an ungenerous advantage over these wild creatures ; on the other, trying to inculcate humanity towards them, believing that a fondness for observing their habits confers a higher pleasure than the mere shooting of a great quantity of game. Mr. St. John was specially qualified to write on the birds and beasts of Scotland. A happy concurrence of circum- stances connected with his residence in the district of Moray gave him unrivalled opportunities of observing its quadrupeds, while he has paid even greater attention to the birds of the country. He says (Preface to Natural History and Sport in Moray, p. ix.) : " I have taken the nests of all the birds which breed in Scotland, without, I believe, an exception. I have WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS also watched the habits of feeding, etc., of all, from the golden eagle to the golden -crested wren, from the wild swan to the teal, and have had opportunities of so doing which perhaps no other person has had." Independently of the charm of St. John's writing, what at present renders his Wild Sports especially valuable is that Scotland and the Scotch fauna have considerably changed during the last half-century. The variety and abundance of wild life here described can never again be seen. Fortunately a true picture of that departed past is preserved in St. John's vivid narratives. Population has increased ; and railways, driven far into what in his days were wastes of trackless bog and heather, now admit countless sportsmen and tourists to the most retired districts. An increasing taste for shooting and fishing, and the charm of a freer life during the beautiful northern summer than can be found in great cities, have planted castles and shooting lodges all over Scotland. Sport of any kind can now only be obtained at a considerable cost. For economical reasons, all lovers of Scotland must rejoice at this tendency of the age ; but it has pressed with great seventy upon all wild life. Indeed, where they have not been specially protected, several kinds of birds and beasts, such as the osprey, the kite, and the marten, have either died out or are rapidly approaching extinction. Were it not for legal restrictions and private watchfulness others would be seriously endangered, or linger on remaining scantily represented. Thus many animals and birds which were sufficiently common in St. John's time are now rare and seldom seen. It has been thought advisable, therefore, in this edition to add a few notes in order to illustrate the instincts or traits of these creatures, their prevalence or scarcity. Some more general remarks have also been appended here and there to clear up PREFACE vii any obscurity or bring out associations which might otherwise have been forgotten. There has been no tampering with the original text. The additional notes of the author, marked C. St. J., are printed word for word from an interleaved copy of Jenyns's Manual of British Vertebrate Animals. They are interesting as showing the exactitude and brevity of St. John's notes. At times they also throw further light upon the text. For per- mission to use them the editor is indebted to the kindness of the writer's son, Admiral H. C. St. John. M. G. W. KENTCHURCH RECTORY, July 1892. LIFE OF C. ST. JOHN MANY men well known in the literary world possess no history, because their life has been spent with their books. Mr. St. John's days were passed on the moorland or by the river, devoted to sports and natural history, consequently there is little to tell of his life except the distinctive facts which mark off one human being from another. His love of animated nature, his perseverance and keenness in capturing the rarer birds and beasts, are only matched by the acuteness with which he caught their habits and instincts and transferred them into these pages. In them and in his other two books may be read his real life-work. Charles William George St. John was son of General the Honourable F. St. John, himself the son of Frederick, second Viscount Bolingbroke. He was born at Chailey, Sussex, 3rd December 1 809, and sent in due time to Midhurst School, under Dr. Bayley. Here it is upon record that under the careful tuition of an old pensioner, who acted as drill-sergeant to the school, the characteristic bent of his mind showed itself, and he became a proficient in spinning for pike and setting night-lines for eels in the river Arun. During his stay of about four years his box was usually filled with some kind of pets ; dormice, guinea-pigs, or stag-beetles. He was appointed to a clerkship in the Treasury in 1828, but only remained for some two years at his desk, the confinement and regular hours being little suited to his tastes. At this time of his life St. John was fond of society, and was enabled to enjoy it to his heart's content through the kindness of his aunt, Lady Sefton. He had a slight impediment in his speech, but it almost dis- appeared when he was among friends, and then his conversation WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS was easy and flowing. When in London he was wont to drive or ride out of town to shoot blackcock and return the same day. The distance was eighty miles, and he used four horses in getting over the ground, each horse doing twenty miles. A new phase of life opened upon him after leaving the Treasury, owing to the kindness of his cousin, Lord Bolingbroke, who lent him Rosehall, a shooting-box on the Oykell in Suther- land. The retirement, the shooting, the wild stretches of moorland around him, exactly suited his genius. Many of his observations on animal life, and much of his experience as a deer -stalker, were here acquired. On an expedition from Rosehall he met Miss Ann Gibson, the daughter of a rich banker in Newcastle, and married her in November 1834. She possessed some fortune, in which he had been somewhat deficient, and much sympathy with his tastes and habits. Henceforth he devoted himself to the life of a sportsman and naturalist, living in succession at several houses in the High- lands in Ross-shire, Inverness, Nairn, and Moray. The need of schools for his growing family brought him nearer to towns. But he found the " laigh " of Moray best suited to his tastes " a fertile and well-cultivated country, with dry soil and bright and bracing climate, with wide views of sea and mountain, within easy distance of mountain sports, in the midst of the game and wild animals of a low country, and with the coast indented by bays of the sea and studded with frequent fresh- water lakes, the haunt of all the common wild-fowl, and of many of the rarer sorts." Amid such scenes St. John lived for ten years, the best part of his working life, before his fatal illness. It was in Moray that St. John became acquainted with Mr. C. Innes, Sheriff of Moray, in the autumn of I 844, while the latter was shooting partridges. He had shot one and lost it among some potatoes ; but St. John offered to let his own rather ungainly-looking dog find it if the Sheriff would permit him. This the dog speedily did, and an acquaintance thus commenced of much pleasure to both, and the source of a new and unexpected interest in St. John's life. He was then living at Invererne, below Forres ; and Mr. Innes, captivated by his stories of sport and adventure, induced him to write out a few reminiscences for an article he was himself preparing for LIFE OF C. ST. JOHN the Quarterly Review. The editor (Lockhart) was delighted with them, especially with the story of " the Muckle Hart of Benmore." St. John now began to see how he could utilise the varied information he had gathered, and one winter dili- gently put together the charming pages of The Wild Sports of the Highlands. The Sheriff had the satisfaction of arranging for the sale and publication of this in 1845 '> ar >d then for the first time naturalists and sportsmen obtained accurate informa- tion of the wild life of Northern Scotland ; while the simple charm of St. John's narratives, and the boundless enthusiasm for sport which these chapters evoked, speedily made his name famous, and have given the utmost pleasure ever since to all lovers of rural life. Thenceforth St. John kept more regular journals, and acquired a scientific interest in his sport. The sand-hills of Culbin, the Black Forest stretching away beyond Brodie and Dalvey, the sand-spits on the coast where the seals might be seen basking in the sun, the Findhorn with its ever- varying prospects and the "sea-pyes" haunting its gravel banks, these and other contiguous fields of research furnished him with inexhaustible objects to observe and comment upon. In 1848 and 1849 St John was obliged for the sake of his family to reside much in Edinburgh ; but he loved to make excursions on the one side to Newcastle, where dwelt Mr. Hancock, whose tastes were similar to his own, and on the other to Sutherland. This county had always possessed many attractions for him in its fishing and deer-stalking, and led to his publishing two volumes upon its sport. Of all the houses St. John had inhabited, perhaps the College, Elgin, is the most identified with his pursuits and literary work. Here he came in the autumn of 1 849. It was in the neighbourhood of many friends, Sir A. G. Gumming of Altyre, Major Gordon Gumming, and others, while there were good schools close at hand for his boys. The house itself, with its old trees and rambling garden and the ivy covering the walls, was exactly suited to the studies in natural history of himself and his family. Here he could shoot and fish in much happiness ; and here, owing to his habits of vigour, active exercise, and temperance, he spent several happy years. It is worth while extracting a pleasant picture of his home-life at Elgin from the pages of Mr. Innes : WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS The boys were the constant companions of his sport when school permitted, and sometimes the schoolmaster was forgotten when the car came to the door to take papa and Rennie (Donald) to the loch. Then, on the return, there were the contents of the game-bag to examine, rare specimens to note, and sometimes to preserve and stuff after Mr. Hancock's directions, who was a great friend and ally of old and young. In the evening the drawing-room was a pretty sight. Some rare bird, or, if no rarity offered, a good handsome old blackcock, was displayed en pose for the artists, and father and children made studies in water-colours of a head, a claw, or a tail of the fine bird. Without pretending to much skill in art, St. John drew easily and coloured dexterously what was placed before him, and he made all his children able to do the same. P. xxviii. But the end of this happy, industrious life was approach- ing. The pen which had delighted so many lovers of nature by its graphic accounts of sport and natural history was soon to drop useless from the hand. St. John had been a sufferer for a long time from severe headaches. After a violent attack in the beginning of December 1853 he seemed better, and was on his way to shoot at Pluscardine, when on 6th December he was struck down by paralysis of the whole left side. Quite powerless, yet perfectly conscious, he was carefully tended and taken home by Major Campbell. For many weeks he was tenderly nursed by him and by his own devoted family. He never recovered the use of his limbs, but was enabled to go south for change of scene and air. Brighton, however, and Southampton did not appear to do him much good. He still cherished the hope of ending his days in the Highlands ; but death released him on I2th July 1856 at Woolston, and he was buried hard by in Southampton Cemetery. At his feet inside the coffin was placed the skull of a favourite retriever, the successor of " Grip." During the two years of his illness his patience and resignation were wonderful after the active life that he had almost always led out of doors among his favourite sports and in the observation of nature. It might have been expected that he would have pined for freedom and exercise, but no sign of such a feeling ever showed itself. He left three sons and one daughter, who are still living. Charles St. John is famous as a sportsman, a naturalist, and a writer. As a sportsman, his fire and eagerness were extreme ; and he was especially fond of seeing his dogs work as LIFE OF C. ST. JOHN he shot, never taking life merely for the wantonness of killing. But fishing and shooting were always subordinate to his ardour for observing the habits of the wild creatures which he pos- sessed so many opportunities of noting. He insisted on seeing with his own eyes, and never cared to take facts on hearsay. Enthusiastic, cautious, and diligent, he was the model of a zoologist ; country pursuits and love of the country almost amounting with him to a passion. St. John's style is plain and straightforward, frequently rising to a poetical appreciation of scenery, and redolent of heather scents and the freshness of the mountain breeze. Imagination is strictly subordinated to sober details of what he actually saw, and heard, and did. There is no attempt to rise to gorgeous or even fine writing, and this is the reason why his books still prove so fascinating. Without either eccentricities of thought or of language, they tell their own tale, and appeal strongly to all who sympathise with nature and sport. Therefore they never become antiquated, or disgust readers with the affectations and sporting jargon of a bygone day. When Walton and White of Selborne are for- gotten, then, and then only, will the world tire of St. John. Few authors in his own peculiar range of sport and natural history combined can vie with him ; few indeed have surpassed him. It is believed that many lovers of nature who have grown up since the early editions of the Highland Sports were published will be as delighted to make St. John's acquaintance as were their fathers, to whom his experiences of the sport to be obtained in Scotland came like a revelation. St. John's insight into animal life was as keen as that of Jefferies, but wider, more particular and exact. Nature was as dear to him as to Thoreau ; but St. John's love of sport drew him nearer to the birds and beasts of his native land. Perhaps the late Mr. J. Colquhoun most resembled him in united enthusiasm for sport and nature and skill in writing on these subjects; butSt.John far excels him in the accuracy of his knowledge and the extent of his observations on animals, their habits and traits. An untimely death removed one who would probably have largely increased sportsmen's sympathy and acquaintance with their quarry, and might have considerably widened the domain of the sciences which preside over the birds and animals of his adopted country. Besides the Highland Sports, St. John has WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS left two excellent books, one on The Natural History of Moray, the other on Deer-stalking in Sutlierland. This memoir has been put together from the Life of St. John written by the late Mr. C. Innes and prefixed to the former of these two books, and from notes supplied by the eldest son of the author, Admiral H. C. St. John. To his kindness also this edition is indebted for the portrait of the author, the first which has hitherto been made public. CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION ......... i CHAPTER I Highland Lakes Steam-boats Small Lochs Wild Cats Ravens Dragging the Lake The Char Fishing at Night Pike Trolling large Trout on Loch Ness Flies, Otters, etc. Fishing with the Otter Spawning Trout . 8 CHAPTER II Roe: Mischief done by Fawns Tame Roe Boy killed by Roe Hunting Roe: Artifices of Shooting Roe Unlucky shot Change of colour Swimming Cunning Roe . . . . . . 19 CHAPTER III Grouse's Nest Partridge Nest Grouse-shooting Marten Cat Witch : Death of Stags Snaring Grouse Black Game: Battles of Hybrid Bird Ptarmigan-shooting Mist on the Mountain Stag Unsuccessful Stalking Death of Eagle . . . . . . . .27 CHAPTER IV The Wild Cat : Strength of ; Rencontre with Trapping tame Cats : Destruc- tiveness of Poisoning vermin Trapping vermin . . . -43 CHAPTER V Poaching in the Highlands Donald Poachers and Keepers Bivouac in Snow Connivance of Shepherds Deer killed Catching a Keeper Poaching in the Forests Shooting Deer by Moonlight Ancient Poachers . . 50 WJLD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAPTER VI PACE Salmon-fishing Salmon ascending Fords Fishers Cruives Right of Fishing Anecdote Salmon-leaps History of the Salmon Spearing Salmon River Poaching Angling Fly-making Eels Lampreys . . 62 CHAPTER VII Short-eared Owl: Habits of Long-eared Owl Tame Owl White Owl Utility of Owls Mice Rats : Destructiveness of Water Rats : Food of Killing Rats Ratcatchers . . . . . . .72 CHAPTER VIII Crossbills: Habits of ; Nest Snowy Owl Great-eared Owl Hoopoe Shrike Tawny and Snow Bunting Lizards Singular Pets Toads: Utility of ; Combats of Adders Dog and Snakes Large Snake Blind-Worm . 80 CHAPTER IX On the Peculiarities and Instinct of different Animals Eggs of Birds Nests The Fox Red-Deer Hind . . .... 87 CHAPTER X The Eagle: Habits; Greediness; Anecdotes of; Killing Eagles; Trapping; Food of The Peregrine Falcon : Manner of Hunting Tame Falcon : Anecdotes of Guinea-Hen and Ducks The Osprey The Kite : Trapping The Buzzard : Nests and Habits of . . . . -93 CHAPTER XI The Hen - Harrier : Destructiveness to Game; Female of; Trapping The Sparrowhawk : Courage of; Ferocity; Nest The Kestrel: Utility of The Merlin : Boldness The Hobby Increase of Small Birds . . 103 CHAPTER XII The Otter: Habits Catching of Shooting Attachment to each other Anecdotes Fish killed by . . . . . . . 110 CONTENTS CHAPTER XIII PAGE Weasels Ferrets: Fierceness of- Anecdotes Food of Weasels Manner of Hunting for Prey The Stoat: Change of Colour; Odour of; Food of; Their catching Fish Polecat The Marten Cat: Habits; Trapping; Eating' Fruit ; Activity of; Different Species . . . .116 CHAPTER XIV Anecdotes and Instinct of Dogs Anecdotes of Retriever Shepherds' Dogs- Sagacity Dogs and Monkey Bulldog Anecdotes of Shooting a Stag Treatment of Dogs . . ... . . . . 1 24 CHAPTER XV Increase of Wood-Pigeons and other Birds Service to the Farmer of these Birds Tame Wood-Pigeons : Food of The Turtle -Dove Blue Rock- Pigeons : Caves where they breed Shooting at the Rocks near Cromarty . 135 CHAPTER XVI Wild Ducks : Edible kinds of Breeding-places of Mallards Change of Plumage Shooting Feeding -places Half-bred Wild Ducks Anas glacialis Anas clangula : Habits of Teeth of Goosander Cormorants Anecdotes . 144 CHAPTER XVII Birds that come in Spring The Pewit: Pugnacity; Nests of; Cunning Ring-Dotterel Redshank Oyster - Catcher : Food; Swimming of; Nest Curlew Redstart Swallows, etc. . . . . . 154 CHAPTER XVIII Sheldrake : Nest ; Food Teal : Breeding-places ; Anecdotes Landrail : Ar- rival of Cuckoo Nightjar : Habits of Quail Grebe : Arrival ; Account of Nest and Young Bald Coot Water-Hen Water-Rail. . . 162 CHAPTER XIX Wild Geese: Arrival of; Different kinds of; Anecdotes of Shooting Wild Geese Feeding - places Wariness Habits Breeding - places Black- headed Gull Birds that breed on the River-banks . . . 172 b WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAPTER XX PAGE The Sandhills of Morayshire : Description of ; Origin of Foxes: Destructiveness and Cunning of ; Anecdote of Roe-hunting in the Sandhills Anecdotes . 183 CHAPTER XXI Death of my first Stag ... . 192 CHAPTER XXII The Findhorn River Excursion to Source Deer-stalking Shepherds Hind and Calf Heavy Rain Floods Walk to Lodge Fine Morning High- land Sheep Banks of River Cottages ..... 200 CHAPTER XXIII Findhorn River Bridge of Dulsie Beauty of Scenery Falls of River Old Salmon-fisher Anglers Heronry Distant View Sudden Rise of River Mouth of River . . . . . . . .211 CHAPTER XXIV Migration of Birds in October Wild Swans: Pursuit of; Manner of getting a Shot ; Two Killed Habits of Wild Swan . . . . .218 CHAPTER XXV The Water-Ouzel : Nest ; Singular Habits ; Food ; Song of Kingfisher : Rare Visits of ; Manner of Fishing Terns : Quickness in Fishing ; Nests of . 225 CHAPTER XXVI The Muckle Hart of Benmore ....... 232 CHAPTER XXVII Different kinds of Gulls : Large Collections of Breeding-places Islands on a Loch Eggs of Gulls Young Birds Food and Voracity of Large Gulls : Salmon-fry killed by Boatswain-Gull Manner of procuring Food . 244 CONTENTS CHAPTER XXVIII PAGE Woodcock's Nest: Early Breeding of; Habits of, in Spring ; First Arrival of; Anecdotes of; Manner of carrying their Young Habits of Snipe Number of Jacksnipes Solitary Snipe . . . . . -251 CHAPTER XXIX Seals Destruction to Fish and Nets Shooting Seals in River and Sea Habits of Seals Anecdotes Seal and Dog Seal and Keeper Catching Seals Anecdotes ......... 256 CHAPTER XXX Fox-hunting in the Highlands ... . 265 CHAPTER XXXI The Badger : Antiquity of ; Cleanliness ; Abode of ; Food ; Family of Trapping Badgers Anecdotes Escape of Badger Anecdotes Strength of Cruelty to ...... .270 CHAPTER XXXII Autumn Day on the Mountain Stags and Hinds A Bivouac Death of the Stag 278 CHAPTER XXXIII Peculiarities and Instinct of different Animals Feeding Habits The Beaks of Birds Wings of Owl Instinct in finding Food Ravens Knowledge of Change of Weather Fish . . . . . . .289 CHAPTER XXXIV Coursing Deer ..... . . 295 CHAPTER XXXV Tameness of Birds when Sitting . . 311 CHAPTER XXXVI Variety of Game ......... 315 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR, CHARLES WHYMPER, A. C. CORBOULD, A. H. COLLINS, A. T. ELWES, AND A. H. HALLAM MURRAY ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY J. W. WHYMPER PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR ...... Frontispiece ROUGH WEATHER ..... . Title-Page PAGE DONALD INSTRUCTING HIS YOUNG MASTER . . . . i FISHING BY MOONLIGHT ....... 8 PLOVERS ......... 18 ROEBUCK ....... .19 ROE SWIMMING LOCH ....... 26 SHOOTING A WITCH ........ 27 MOUNTAIN SCENERY ........ 39 PTARMIGAN ......... 42 WILD CAT ......... 43 THE RIGHT SORT OF GAMEKEEPER ...... 49 AFFRAY WITH POACHERS ....... 50 BIVOUAC ON THE HILLS UNDER THE HEATHER . . . .61 SPEARING SALMON OR BURNING THE WATER . . . .62 RAPIDS ON THE FlNDHORN ....... 71 THE LONG-EARED OWL ....... 72 RATS CARRYING OFF EGG ....... 79 THE SNOWY O\VL ........ 80 YELLOW-HAMMER'S NEST ....... 87 WHITETHROAT'S NEST ....... 92 THE EAGLE AND MOUNTAIN HARE . . . . . -93 xxii WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS PAGE MY PUGNACIOUS PEREGRINE . . 102 THE SPARROWHAWK . . 103 KESTRELS .... .109 THE OTTER IN HIS HAUNTS. . ... no THE OTTER'S ATTACK . . ... 115 THE WEASEL'S VICTIM . . . . . . .116 DEER AND HOUNDS ........ 123 A HUNTING BULLDOG ....... 124 MY PETS ......... 134 WOOD-PIGEONS . . . . . . . -135 ACROSS C ROM ARTY BAY . . . . . . .143 WILD DUCK ......... 144 THE SYMPATHETIC MATE ... ... 153 OYSTER-CATCHERS AT HOME ...... 154 LOGIE HOUSE ......... 161 WATER-HEN ......... 162 LOCH INDORBH . . . . . . . -171 SHOOTING WILD GEESE ....... 172 SITE OF HERONRY ON THE FINDHORN ..... 182 SANDHILLS OF MORAY ....... 183 A CAUTIOUS PEEP ........ 191 DEATH OF MY FIRST STAG ....... 192 FINDHORN BAY ........ 199 THE FINDHORN RIVER ....... 200 THE VALLEY OF THE FINDHORN ...... 203 CROSSING THE BURN ........ 205 VALLEY OF THE FINDHORN ....... 210 DULSIE BRIDGE . . . . . . . .211 THE HILLS OF SUTHERLAND FROM THE MOORS ABOVE THE FINDHORN . 215 RKLUGAS HOUSE ........ 217 THE SENTINEL ........ 218 SWANS IN THE BAY ........ 224 THE WATER-OUZEL . . . ... 225 TERNS ON SALMON STAKES ....... 229 THE MORAY FIRTH FROM DAVA . ... 231 LIST OF ILLUSTRA TIONS PAGE "I DASHED MY PLAID OVER HIS HEAD" ..... 232 BRINGING HOME THE "MUCKLE HART" . . 243 "THE WHOLE COMMUNITY ATTACKED HIM" .... 244 GULLS COMING INLAND ....... 247 THE FlNDHORN FROM ALTYRE WOODS, LOOKING NORTH . . . 250 WOODCOCKS TILTING ..... -251 DONALD AND THE SEAL ... . 256 LOOKING UP THE FINDHORN VALLEY FROM DULSIE BRIDGE .- . 264 FOX-HUNTING IN THE HIGHLANDS ...... 265 HIGHLAND MOWING . . ..... 269 BADGER AND WASPS' NEST ....... 270 GROUP OF HIGHLAND DOGS. From Sir E. Landseer, R.A. . . 277 "THE NEXT MOMENT HE WAS PASSING FULL BROADSIDE TO ME" . 278 "ON THE HEIGHT OF THE HILL HE HALTED" .... 283 BRIDGE AFTER FLOOD .... . 288 THE RAVEN ... ... .289 HIGHLAND BAROMETERS ....... 294 THE STAG AT BAY . ...... 295 MALCOLM HOLDING THE DOGS . . . . . .310 YOUNG DUCKS CATCHING MOTHS . . . . 311 CURLEW AND GOLDEN PLOVER . . . . . 315 DEAD STAG ......... 319 THE WILD SPORTS & NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANDS DONALD INSTRUCTING HIS YOUNG MASTER INTRODUCTION I HAVE lived for several years in the northern counties of Scot- land, and during the last four or five in the province of Moray, a part of the country peculiarly adapted for collecting facts in Natural History, and for becoming intimate with the habits of many of our British wild birds and quadrupeds. Having been in the habit of keeping an irregular kind of journal, and of making notes of any incidents which have fallen under my B WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS observation connected with the zoology of the country, I have now endeavoured, by dint of cutting and pruning those rough sketches, to put them into a shape calculated to amuse, and perhaps, in some slight degree, to instruct some of my fellow- lovers of Nature. From my earliest childhood I have been more addicted to the investigation of the habits and manners of every kind of living animal than to any more useful avoca- tion, and have in consequence made myself tolerably well acquainted with the domestic economy of most of our British ferce naturce, from the field-mouse and wheatear, which I stalked and trapped in the plains and downs of Wiltshire during my boyhood, to the red deer and eagle, whose territory I have invaded in later years on the mountains of Scotland. My present abode in Morayshire is surrounded by as great a variety of beautiful scenery as can be found in any district in Britain ; and no part of the country can produce a greater variety of objects of interest either to the naturalist or to the lover of the picturesque. The rapid and glorious Findhorn, 1 the very perfection of a Highland river, here passes through one of the most fertile plains in Scotland, or indeed in the world ; and though a few miles higher up it rages through the wildest and most rugged rocks, and through the romantic and shaded glens of the forests of Darnaway and Altyre, the stream, as if exhausted, empties itself peaceably and quietly into the Bay of Findhorn, a salt-water loch of some four or five miles in length, entirely shut out by different points of land from the storms which are so frequent in the Moray Firth, of which it forms a kind of creek. At low-water this bay becomes an extent of wet sand, with the river Findhorn and one or two smaller streams winding through it, till they meet in the deeper part of the basin near the town of Findhorn, where there is always a considerable depth of water, and a harbour for shipping. From its sheltered situation and the quantity of food left on the sands at low-water, the Bay of Findhorn is always a great resort of wild-fowl of all kinds, from the swan to the teal, and also of innumerable waders of every species ; while occasionally a seal ventures into the mouth of the river in 1 Every one interested in the Findhorn should read Sir T. D. Lauder's admirable book. The tforay Floods in 1829. The character of the river, and the calamities which in that year followed the sudden floods to which it is liable, are particularly pointed out in it. INTRODUCTION pursuit of salmon. The bay is separated from the main water of the Firth by that most extraordinary and peculiar range of country called the Sandhills of Moray, 1 a long, low range of hills formed of the purest sand, with scarcely any herbage, excepting here and there patches of bent or broom, which are inhabited by hares, rabbits, and foxes. At the extreme point of this range is a farm of forty or fifty acres of arable land, where the tenant endeavours to grow a scanty crop of grain and turnips, in spite of the rabbits and the drifting sands. From the inland side of the bay stretch the fertile plains of Moray, extending from the Findhorn to near Elgin in a con- tinuous flat of the richest soil, and comprising districts of the very best partridge -shooting that can be found in Scotland, while the streams and swamps that intersect it afford a con- stant supply of wild -fowl. As we advance inland we are sheltered by the wide -extending woods of Altyre, abounding with roe and game, and beyond these woods again is a very extensive range of a most excellent grouse -shooting country, reaching for many miles over a succession of moderately sized hills which reach as far as the Spey. On the west of the Findhorn is a country beautifully dotted with woods, principally of oak and birch, and intersected by a dark, winding burn, full of fine trout, and the constant haunt of the otter. Between this part of the country and the sea-coast is a continuation of the Sandhills, interspersed with lakes, swamps, and tracts of fir-wood and heather. On the whole I do not know so varied or interesting a district in Great Britain, or one so well adapted to the amusement and instruction of a naturalist or sportsman. In the space of a morning's walk you may be either in the most fertile or in the most barren spot of the country. In my own garden every kind of wall-fruit ripens to perfection, and yet at the distance of only two hours' walk you may either be in the midst of heather and grouse, or in the sandy deserts beyond the bay, where one wonders how even the rabbits can find their living. 1 One district alone, Culbin, which belonged to the Kinnairds, and consisted of more than 3600 acres of the finest land, was entirely destroyed in the autumn of 1694 or spring of 1695. A gre^t drifting of the sands then took place, which nearly overwhelmed the whole estate in a very sudden manner (see Chapter xx. ) Some say that Culbin consisted of 9000 acres. These hillocks, like the French " dunes," are blown into different sized masses and alter in height from time to time. U'lLD SPORTS Ol' THE HIGHLANDS The varieties of the soil and its productions, both animate and inanimate, will, however, be best shown in the extracts from my note-books, with which these pages are filled. My memo- randums, having for the most part been written down at the moment, and describing anecdotes and incidents that fell under my actual observation, will at all events contain correct descrip- tions of the nature and habits of the animals and birds of the country ; though, not being originally intended for publication, they are not arranged in any regular order. Here and there I have quoted some anecdote of animals, which I have heard from others : these I can only offer as I received them, but I can safely assert that I have quoted the words of those persons only upon whose veracity and powers of observation I could depend. My subject, as connected both to natural history and sporting, has led me back to my former wanderings in the more northern and wilder parts of the country, where I had great opportunities of becoming acquainted with the habits of the wilder and rarer birds and beasts, who are natives of those districts ; and the pursuit of whom always had greater charms for me than the more commonplace occupations of grouse or partridge shooting. I hope that my readers will be indulgent enough to make allowances for the unfinished style of these sketches, and the copious use of the first person singular, which I have found it impossible to avoid whilst describing the adventures which I have met with in this wild country, either when toiling up the rocky heights of our most lofty mountains, or cruising in a boat along the shores, where rocks and caves give a chance of finding sea-fowl and otters ; at one time wandering over the desert sand-hills of Moray, where, on windy days, the light particles of drifting sand, driven like snow along the surface of the ground, are perpetually changing the outline and appear- ance of the district ; at another, among the swamps, in pursuit of wild ducks, or attacking fish in the rivers, or the grouse on the heather. For a naturalist, whether he be a scientific dissector and preserver of birds, or simply a lover and observer of the habits and customs of the different fera natures, large and small, this district is a very desirable location, as there are very few birds or quadrupeds to be found in any part of Great Britain, who do INTRODUCTION 5 not visit us during the course of the year, or, at any rate, are to be met with within a few hours' drive. The bays and rivers attract all the migratory water-fowl, while the hills, woods, and corn-lands afford shelter and food to all the native wild birds and beasts. The vicinity too of the coast to the wild western countries of Europe is the cause of our being often visited by birds which are not strictly natives, nor regular visitors, but are driven by continued east winds from the fastnesses of the Swedish and Norwegian forests and mountains. To the collector of stuffed birds this county affords a greater variety of specimens than any other district in the kingdom, whilst the excellence of the climate and the variety of scenery make it inferior to none as a residence for the un- occupied person or the sportsman. Having thus described that spot of the globe which at present is my resting-place, I may as well add a few lines to enable my reader to become acquainted with myself, and that part of my belongings which will come into question in my descriptions of sporting, etc. To begin with myself, I am one of the unproductive class of the genus Homo, who, having passed a few years amidst the active turmoil of cities, and in places where people do most delight to congregate, have at last settled down to live a busy kind of idle life. Communing much with the wild birds and beasts of our country, a hardy constitution and much leisure have enabled me to visit them in their own haunts, and to follow my sporting propensities without fear of the penalties which are apt to follow a careless exposure of oneself to cold and heat, at all hours of night and day. Though by habit and repute a being strongly endowed with the organ of destructiveness, I take equal delight in col- lecting round me all living animals, and watching their habits and instincts ; my abode is, in short, a miniature menagerie. My dogs learn to respect the persons of domesticated wild animals of all kinds, and my pointers live in amity with tame partridges and pheasants ; my retrievers lounge about amidst my wild-fowl, and my terriers and beagles strike up friendship with the animals of different kinds whose capture they have assisted in, and with whose relatives they are ready to wage war to the death. A common and well-kept truce exists with one and all. My boys, who are of the most bird-nesting age U'JLD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS (eight and nine years old), instead of disturbing the numberless birds who breed in the garden and shrubberies, in full con- fidence of protection and immunity from all danger of gun or snare, strike up an acquaintance with every family of chaf- finches or blackbirds who breed in the place, visiting every nest, and watching over the eggs and young with a most parental care. My principal aide-de-camp in my sporting excursions is an old man, who, although passing for somewhat of a simpleton, has more acuteness and method in his vagaries than most of his neighbours. For many years he seems to have lived on his gun, but with an utter contempt of, and animosity against, all those who employ the more ignoble means of snaring and trapping game ; and this makes him fulfil his duty as keeper better than many persons trained regularly to that employment. He is rather a peculiar person in his way, and has a natural tendency to the pursuit of the rarer and wilder animals, such as otters, seals, wild-fowl, etc. which accords well with my own tastes in the sporting line many a day, and many a night too, at all seasons, has he passed lying in wait for some seal or otter, regardless of wet or cold. His neighbours, though all allowing that he was a most inveterate poacher, always gave him credit for a great deal of simple honesty in other things. So one day, having caught him in a ditch waiting for wild ducks, on my shooting-grounds, instead of prosecuting, I took him into my serVice, where he has now remained for some years ; and though he sometimes shows an inclination to return to his former way of life, he lives tolerably steady, taking great delight at all idle times, in teach- ing my children to shoot, fish, or trap vermin a kind of learn- ing which the boys, young as they are, have become great proficients in, preferring Simon Donald to their Latin master ; and though they attend regularly and diligently to the latter, they make equally good use of the lessons of the former, and can dress a fly and catch a dish of trout for dinner, gallop on their Shetland ponies across the wildest country, or hit a mark with a rifle as well as most boys of double their age. And, after all, this kind of education does boys more good than harm (as long as they do not neglect their books at the same INTRODUCTION time, which I do not allow mine to do), as they acquire hardi- hood of constitution, free use of their limbs, and confidence in their own powers. But I have said enough of me and mine, and must refer those who may have any curiosity on the subject to the following sketches, as illustrating my doings and observa- tions in my temporary home. It may be proper to mention that Chapters XXVI. and XXX. have already appeared in print ; some learned critic having deemed it expedient to publish them in the 15 3rd Number of the Quarterly Review. KISH1XG 13V MOONLIGHT CHAPTER I Highland Lakes Steam-boats Small Lochs Wild Cats Ravens Dragging the Lake The Crea Fishing at Night Pike Trolling large Trout on Loch Ness Flies, Otters, etc. Fishing with the Otter Spawning Trout. THE beauties of Loch Lomond, Loch Awe, and several other of the Highland lakes, are almost as well known to the English as Regent Street or Hyde Park. Lovely and magnificent as all these visited lakes are, and worthy of the praise of the poet and the pencil of the painter, there are unnumbered other Highland lochs whose less hackneyed beauties have far greater charms for me. Visit Loch Lomond, or many others, and you find yourself surrounded by spruce cockneys, in tight-waisted shooting-jackets, plaid waistcoats, and (so called) Glengarry bonnets, all of whom fancy themselves facsimiles of Roderick Dhu, or James Fitz -James ; and quote Sir Walter to young ladies in tartan scarfs, redolent, nevertheless, of the land of Cockayne. Steam-boats and coaches are admirable things, but they spoil one's train of ideas, and terminate one's reverie when enjoying the grandeur and sublimity of one of these spots of beauty. Though a steam-boat, at a certain number of miles' CHAP, i STEAM-BOATS distance, with its stream of smoke winding over the rocky shore of a large lake, and adding a new feature to the scene, may occasionally come in with good effect ; when it approaches and comes spluttering and groaning near you, with its smoke drifting right into your face, and driving you from some favourite point or bay, you are apt to turn your back on lake, boat, and scenery, with a feeling of annoyance and disgust. I well remember being one bright summer's day on the shore of Loch Ness, and enjoying the surpassing loveliness of the scene. The perfectly calm loch was like a mirror, reflecting the steep red crags of the opposite shore ; and the weeping-birch trees, feathering down to the very edge of the water, and hanging over its surface, as if to gaze at their own fair forms in its glassy depths, were as distinctly seen in the lake as on the shore ; while here and there a trout rising at a fly dimpled the smooth water, and in my idle mood I watched the circles as they gradually widened and disappeared. The white gulls floated noiselessly by, as if afraid to disturb the stillness of the scene, instead of saluting their common enemy with loud cries. I had been for some time stretched on the ground enjoying the quiet beauty of the picture, till I had at last fallen into a half- sleeping, half-waking kind of dreaminess, when I was suddenly aroused by a Glasgow steamer passing within a hundred yards of me, full of holiday people, with riddles and parasols con- spicuous on the deck, while a stream of black sooty smoke showered its favours over me, and filled my mouth as I opened it to vent my ill-temper in an anathema against steam-boats, country-dance tunes, and cockneys. There have come in my way, during my rambles through the Highlands, many a fair and beauteous loch, placed like a bright jewel in the midst of the rugged mountains, far out of reach of steam and coach, accessible only to the walking traveller, or at most to a Highland pony, where the only living creature to be seen is the silent otter playing its fantastic gambols in the quiet of the evening, or the stag as he comes to drink at the water's edge or to crop the succulent grass which grows in the shallows. There are so many small lochs which are known but to few individuals, but which are equally beautiful with those whose renown and larger size have made them the resort of numberless visitors, that it is difficult to single out any io WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. one as pre-eminent. In Inverness-shire there are many lovely lakes, and many an hour and day have I passed in fishing on some of these. There was one beautiful lake to which I used sometimes to take net and boat, as well as rod. It was a piece of water about four miles long, and one or two broad ; at one end were two sandy bays, forming regular semicircles, with their beaches covered to a width of a few feet with small pebbles. Between these two bays was a bold promontory running into the lake, and covered with fine old pine trees. Along one side was a stretch of perhaps three miles of grey pre- cipitous rocks nearly covered with birch and hazel, which hung over the water, casting a dark shade on it. The other end of the lake was contracted between the rocks till it was lost to the view, while on the remaining side was flat moorland. The whole country round and within view of the lake was picturesque and bold. In the rocks near the water were a colony of wild cats, whose cries during the night deterred the shepherd from passing that way ; while on the highest part of the grey precipice was a raven's nest, the owners of which always kept up a concert with their voices of ill-omen whenever they saw a human being near their dominions there they would sit on a withered branch of a tree or a pointed rock, croaking, and playing their quaint antics for hours together. Their nest was so protected by a shelf of rock which projected below it, that I never could get a rifle-ball into it, often as I have tried, though I must have frequently half-filled it with the splinters of the rock. In dragging this lake we were obliged to restrict ourselves to the two sandy bays, as the rest of the bottom was covered with old tree-roots and broken sticks, which tore our nets, and prevented our using them. In the quiet summer evenings it was interesting to see my crew of five Highlanders, as, singing a Gaelic song, they rowed the boat in a large semicircle round one of the bays, letting out the net as they went, one end of the rope being held by a man on the shore at the point from which they started. When they got to the other side of the bay, they landed, with the exception of one man, who remained in the boat to right the net if it got fixed in roots or stones. The rest hauled in the net gradually, bringing the two ends together. As it came in, a fine trout or pike now and then would be seen making a dart round the i DRAGGING A LOCH \\ enclosed space within the net, or dashing at the net itself, drag- ging for a moment half the corks under water. The head man of the crew, a little peppery Highlander, invariably got into a state of the most savage excitement, which increased as the net approached the shore ; and if any stoppage occurred from its being caught by a root or stick, he actually danced with excite- ment, hallooing and swearing in Gaelic at the net, the men, and the fish. When all went on smoothly and well, he acted the part of fugleman with no little dignity, perched in the bow of the boat, and keeping the men in proper place and time as they dragged in the net We generally caught a great number of trout and pike, some of very large size. By the time we had killed all the fish, and arranged them in rows to admire their beauty and size, the little captain (as the other men called him) subsided into a good-humoured calm ; and having offered a pinch of snuff to the gamekeeper, whom he generally fixed upon in particular to shout at, in consequence of a kind of rivalry between them, and also in consequence of his measuring some head and shoulders higher than himself, he made a brief apology for what he had said, winding it up by saying, " And after all, that's no so bad, your Honour," as he pointed to some giant trout ; he then would light a pipe, and having taken a few whiffs, deliberately shove it alight into his waistcoat pocket, and extracting a netting-needle and string, set to work, mend- ing any hole that had been made in the net. This done, and a dram of whisky having been passed round, the net was arranged on the stern of the boat, and they rowed round the wooded promontory to the other creek, keeping time to their oars with some wild Gaelic song, with a chorus in which they all joined, and the sound of which, as it came over the water of the lake, and died gradually away as they rounded the headland, had a most peculiarly romantic effect. Sometimes we did not commence our fishing till sunset, choosing nights when the full moon gave us sufficient light for the purpose. Our object in selecting this time was to catch the larger pike, who during the day remained in the deep water, coming in at night to the shore, and to the mouths of the burns which run into the lake, where they found small trout and other food brought down by the streams. During the night- time, also, towards the beginning of autumn, we used to catch 12 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. quantities of char, which fish then, and then only, approached near enough to the shore to be caught in the nets. In the clear frosty air of a September night the peculiar moaning cry of the wild cats as they answered to each other along the opposite shore, and the hootings of the owls in the pine-wood, sounded like the voices of unearthly beings, and I do not think that any one of my crew would have passed an hour alone by that loch side for all the fish in it. Indeed, the hill-side which sloped down to the lake had the name of being haunted, and the waters of the lake itself had their ghostly inhabitant in the shape of what the Highlanders called the water-bull. There was also a story of some strange mermaid-like monster being sometimes seen, having the appearance of a monstrous fish with long hair. It was a scene worthy of a painter, as the men with eager gestures scrambled up, the fish glancing like silver in the moonbeams ; and then, as they rowed round, sometimes lost in the shade of the pine-trees, \vhich completely darkened the surface of the water immediately below the rocks on which they grew, or came again into full view as they left the shadow of the woods, the water sparkling and glancing from their oars. Frequently they stopped their wild chant, as the strange cries of the different nocturnal animals echoed loudly from the rocks, and we could hear the men say a few words of Gaelic to each other in a low voice, and then recommence their song. \Ye always caught the largest fish at night-time, both trout and pike, the latter frequently above twenty pounds' weight, with the teeth and jaws of a young shark. Sometimes the net brought in a great number of char, which appear to go in large shoals ; but these latter only in the autumn. In these lochs I killed great numbers of pike and the larger trout by means of floating lines, which we put in at the wind- ward side of the lake, to be carried down by the wind. On favourable days, in March or October, when there was a brisk wind, the lines went but half-way across the loch before every hook had a fish on it, and then commenced a rare chase. When we neared a float with a large pike hooked to it, as the water was very clear, the fish took the alarm and swam off at a great pace, often giving us some trouble before we could catch him. I have seen an empty corked-up bottle, with line attached, used as a float for this kind of fishing, instead of the corks. Pike are i TROLLING FOR TROUT 13 very capricious in taking the bait, and some days not one would move, although the wind and weather all seemed favourable ; while on other days every float had a fish to it. Again, the fish would be quiet for some time, and then suddenly a simultaneous impulse seemed to seize them, and they would seize the baits as quickly as we could wish, for the space of an hour or so. The trout seldom take a dead bait during the daytime, but we often caught them on hooks left in the water all night. In all the Highland lakes on which I have fished in this way, large eels would sometimes take the hook, and often break my lines. It is frequently said that putting pike into a lake would destroy the trout-fishing ; but I have invariably found that in all lakes of a considerable size, where the pike were plenty, the trout have improved very much in size and quality, and not dimin- ished even in numbers to any great extent. In fact, the thing to be complained of in most Highland lakes is, that the trout are too numerous, and consequently of a small size and inferior quality. The only way to kill the larger trout is by trolling. In Loch Awe and several other lakes I have seen this kind of fishing succeed well. If the sportsman is skilful, he is sure of taking finer trout in this way than he would ever do when fly- fishing. In trolling there are two or three rules which should be carefully observed : Choose the roughest wind that your boat can live in ; fish with a good-sized bait, not much less than a herring, and do not commence your trolling until after two o'clock in the afternoon, by which time the large fish seem to have digested their last night's supper and to be again on the move. You may pass over the heads of hundreds of large trout when they are lying at rest and not hungry, and you will not catch one ; but as soon as they begin to feed, a fish, although he may have half-a-dozen small trout in his stomach, will still run at your bait. The weight of sinkers on your line, and the depth at which you fish, must of course depend on the depth of water in the lake. A patient fisherman should find out how deep every reach and bay of the lake is before he begins to troll. The labour of a day spent in taking soundings is well repaid. The strength and activity of the large loch trout is immense, and he will run out your whole reel-line if allowed to do so. Sometimes he will go down perpendicularly to the bottom, where he remains sulky or attempts to rub off i 4 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. the hooks : get him out of this situation, and away he goes, almost towing your boat after him. Then is the time for your boatman to make play to keep up with the fish and save your line ; for a twenty-pound Salmo ferox l is no ignoble foe to contend with when you have him at the end of a common fishing-line : he appears to have the strength of a whale as he rushes away. I was crossing Loch Ness alone one evening with my rod at the stern of the boat, with my trolling-tackle on it trailing behind. Suddenly it was seized by a large trout, and before I could do anything but take hold of my rod he had run out eighty yards of line, and bent my stiff trolling-rod like a willow, carrying half the rod under water. The loch was too deep for me, and he snapped the line in an instant, the rod and the twenty yards of line which remained jerking back into the air, and sending the water in a shower of spray around. Comparing the strength of this fish with that of others which I have killed when trolling, he must have been a perfect water -monster. Indeed I have little doubt that the immense depths of Loch Ness contain trout as large, if not larger, than are to be found in any other loch in Scotland. For fly-fishing in lakes, it is difficult to give any rule as to the colour and size of your fly. The best thing you can do is to find out some person whose experience you can depend on, and who has been in the habit of fishing in the particular water where you want to try your own skill, for most lakes have a favourite fly. I have always, when at a loss, had recourse to a red, white, or black palmer. There are very few trout who can withstand these flies when well made. The size of the palmer should depend on the roughness or smoothness of the water. On a dark windy day I have frequently found a white palmer succeed when nothing else would tempt the fish to rise ; 1 Mr. Colquhoun contributed a very interesting chapter on this fish to the Field paper (i3th November 1880), from which a few sentences are extracted. The largest feroxes taken in Scotland, not even excepting Loch Awe, have been taken out of Loch Kannoch, but of late years the constant trailing of spoons and other gaudy baits over them has made the very large fish of all our trolling lochs so shy that few will run at any trolling bait. The largest Mr. Colquhoun has ever known to be taken in Loch Awe by rod was twenty-one pounds. At Loch Rannoch, in twenty-eight years, three of twenty-three, twenty-two, and twenty pounds' weight have been taken. Feroxes are sometimes hooked with a trout-fly when from three to six pounds, but he has never known a large one so taken, though he once saw a ferox of seventeen pounds taken at the head of Loch Awe with a large spring salmon-fly. Many so-called large feroxes are often found to be kelt salmon. TROUT FLIES 15 while on a bright calm day a small black palmer should be tried. There are endless favourite loch-flies, and it is seldom that a person cannot be found to give you the requisite infor- mation as to which to use : however, I never feel much at a loss as long as I have some palmers in my fly-book. In putting night-lines into a large lake, the best places are those where any burn or ditch runs into it, or along some shallo'w sandy or gravelly bay, for in these places the fish feed during the night-time. Worms, frogs, and small trout are the best bait for night-lines. In trolling, the small silvery fish supposed to be the young of the salmon, or the small kind of herring called garvies, are the best bait. Preserved in spirits of wine, they keep for a long time, and become so tough, that they do not tear or break off" your hook. If you take a fancy to fish with a fly during the night in a lake, a large black fly is the best, but urijess it is drawn very slowly through the water, the fish, though they rise, will miss it. A small fly which I have found to be always a favourite with trout, is one made as follows : Body yellow floss silk, with landrail wing, and a turn or two of red heckle near the head. In most waters this fly succeeds. In some of the small black-looking lakes, far up in the solitudes of the mountains, where no person is ever seen, unless a shepherd may chance now and then to stray in their direction, or the deer-stalker stops to examine the soft ground near the water edge for the tracks of deer in these lonely pools the trout seem often as unconscious of danger as birds are said to be on a newly dis- covered island ; and they will rise greedily at the rudest imita- tion of a fly fastened to a common piece of twine, five or six trout rising at once, and striving who should be caught first. The fish in some of these lakes which are situated at a great height, are excessively numerous, but generally black and small. I have seen little black pools of this kind actually crowded with small trout. The otter takes to the waters far up in the hills during the summer time, where she may rear her young in the midst of abundance and in solitary security. Making her lair on some small island or point of land covered with coarse grass or rushes, she lives in plenty and peace, till her young having grown strong, and the frosts of winter having commenced, the 16 \\'1LD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. family remove, like their betters, to the seaside, passing over hill and valley in a straight line, to some remembered rocks and caves, where the dam has wintered before. Round the small hill-lake, too, are seen the tracks of the fox and wild cat. Their nightly maraudings seem to lead them always in the direction of water. During the heats of August, when at a loss for grouse, I have always found it a good plan to hunt round any lake that may be at hand as the old birds lead their young daily to the water's edge to drink, and to pick up the small angular stones, numbers of which are invariably found in the stomach of the grouse, being probably necessary to grind down their dry and hard food. The hen-harrier and falcon, too, seem to hunt in these places, knowing that if grouse fail them, they are sure to find either a duck or snipe, or perhaps a large flock of plovers huddled together on the pebbles which edge the water. In fact, the mountain lake seems to be always a kind of rendezvous for all wild animals ; and I doubt if any grouse-shooter or deer-stalker ever passes near their clear waters without going out of his way to look along the margin, or to refresh himself by gazing over the cool surface. When you are shooting, too, there is the inducement of hoping to find a brood of ducks or teal, which few hill-lakes are without. I have sometimes found great numbers of these birds, collected in some quiet pool on the hills, in August or September, before they have descended to feed on the corn in the low country. Many a Highland lake has a legend attached to it, and however improbable the tale may seem to the incredulous Sassenach, the Highlander believes firmly in the truth of it. Some person, endowed doubtless with a prominent organ of destructiveness, has within the last few years invented an implement for fishing the lakes, called the otter ; and though it is rather a poaching sort of affair, still I consider it quite a fair way of catching trout in some of the mountain lochs, where a rod could be used to no good effect, and where it would be impossible to launch a boat. Its principle of motion is exactly similar to that of a boy's kite. Acted upon by the resistance of the water, the otter, which consists of a small thin board, about fourteen inches by eight, and leaded on one edge so as i THE "OTTER" IMPLEMENT 17 to swim nearly upright, carries out a long line, which is attached to it by four short strings, and is wound on a large reel. To this line are fastened a dozen flies on short lines, which, being carried along by the board, rake the surface of the water ; and in windy weather I have caught numbers of trout in this way, where the rod would have been of no use whatever. Many a grilse, and salmon too, have I killed in Loch Ness with the otter. There are, however, some great drawbacks to the merits of this implement. The fish are very apt to escape after being struck by the hooks, and, being thus wounded and frightened, become shy, and unwilling to rise again. Also, if a large fish is hooked very near the board, there is a great risk that he will break your fly off, and go away with it sticking in his mouth. For these reasons, the otter, though of great use in certain localities, should never be used in waters where the rod can be brought into play. Though exciting enough in an unknown and remote lake, where you seldom fish, the actual sport which it affords falls far short of rod fishing. I have tried it for pike, but did not find it answer, as the fish were constantly struck without being hooked in conse- quence of their requiring some time to gorge their prey. The angling in some of the best trout lochs is completely spoilt by the introduction of these instruments of destruction. Every shepherd's boy or idle fellow can make one, and carry it about with him ; and in lakes where this kind of fishing is prohibited, he has nothing to do, if he sees a keeper or watcher in the distance, but to wrap up the whole thing in his plaid, and walk away with it. There are but few Highland lochs in which a net can be drawn with good effect, owing to the unevenness of the bottom, and the risk of getting your tackle entangled and broken by roots and remains of trees, which always abound in these waters the remnants of forests of an age gone by. Their great depth too is another obstacle to net fishing, except- ing here and there, where a sandy bay or tolerably smooth bottom can be found. To these places the trout always resort in the evenings, in order to feed on the insects and smaller fish that frequent the small stones. In lochs containing pike, a hang-net, as it is called, placed across deep angles of the water or along the edge of weeds, is sure to catch them ; this fish always struggling and endeavouring ?/ c i8 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS to press forward as soon as he feels the net, whereas the trout in these clear waters always escape the danger by turning back as soon as they touch the meshes. The Highland shepherds kill numbers of the spawning trout in the autumn, in every little stream and rill, however small, which feeds the lake. At this time of the year the trout are seized with an irresistible inclination for ascending any running stream that they can find ; and I have seen large trout of several pounds' weight taken out of holes in very small runs of water, to get into which they must have made their way for consider- able distances up a channel where the water could not nearly cover them. Still, as long as a trout can keep his head against the stream, so long will he endeavour to work his way up. Numbers of fish, and always the largest, fall a prey not only to men, but to every prowling fox or wild cat who passes their way during the autumn, and all vermin instinctively hunt along the edge of water during the night-time. A trout in shallow water is easily caught by any of these animals. Even the buzzard and the raven succeed in capturing them when they are left in small rills, as is frequently the case, having been tempted to ascend them by some shower, which swells the water for a short time and then leaves it as low as ever. CHAPTER II Roe : Mischief done by Fawns Tame Roe Boy killed by Roe Hunting Roe : Artifices of Shooting Roe Unlucky shot Change of colour Swimming Cunning Roe. As the spring advances, and the larch and other deciduous trees again put out their foliage, I see the tracks of roe l and the animals themselves in new and unaccustomed places. They now betake themselves very much to the smaller and younger plan- tations, where they can find plenty of one of their most favourite articles of food the shoots of the young trees. Much as I like to see these animals (and certainly the roebuck is the most perfectly formed of all deer), I must confess that they commit 1 Roe have the first year one antler, second year two antlers, third year three antlers. This is always the case unless some accident happens to them. Sometimes they have four antlers, but seldom. The growth of the horns of all deer is irregular, depending much on the feeding which they get. C. St. J. 20 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. great havoc in plantations of hard wood. As fast as the young oak trees put out new shoots the roe nibble them off, keeping the trees from growing above three or four feet in height by constantly biting off the leading shoot. Besides this, they peel the young larch with both their teeth and horns, stripping them of their bark in the neatest manner imaginable. One can scarcely wonder at the anathemas uttered against them by proprietors of young plantations. Always graceful, a roebuck is peculiarly so when stripping some young tree of its leaves, nibbling them off one by one in the most delicate and dainty manner. I have watched a roe strip the leaves off a long bramble shoot, beginning at one end and nibbling off every leaf. My rifle was aimed at his heart and my finger was on the trigger, but I made some excuse or other to myself for not killing him, and left him undisturbed his beauty saved him. The leaves and flowers of the wild rose-bush are another favourite food of the roe. Just before they produce their calves the does wander about a great deal, and seem to avoid the society of the buck, though they remain together during the whole autumn and winter. The young roe is soon able to escape from most of its enemies. For a day or two it is quite helpless, and frequently falls a prey to the fox, who at that time of the year is more ravenous than at any other, as it then has to find food to satisfy the carnivorous appetites of its own cubs. A young roe, when caught unhurt, is not difficult to rear, though their great tenderness and delicacy of limb makes it not easy to handle them without injuring them. They soon become per- fectly tame and attach themselves to their master. When in captivity they will eat almost anything that is offered to them, and from this cause are frequently destroyed, picking up and swallowing some indigestible substance about the house. A tame buck, however, becomes a dangerous pet ; for after attain- ing to his full strength he is very apt to make use of it in attacking people whose appearance he does not like. They particularly single out women and children as their victims, and inflict severe and dangerous wounds with their sharp- pointed horns, and notwithstanding their small size, their strength and activity make them a very unpleasant adversary. One day, at a kind of public garden near Brighton, I saw a beautiful but very small roebuck in an enclosure fastened with n SHOOTING ROE-DEER 21 a chain, which seemed strong enough and heavy enough to hold and weigh down an elephant. Pitying the poor animal, an exile from his native land, I asked what reason they could have for ill-using him by putting such a weight of iron about his neck. The keeper of the place, however, told me that small as the roebuck was, the chain was quite necessary, as he had attacked and killed a boy of twelve years old a few days before, stabbing the poor fellow in fifty places with his sharp- pointed horns. Of course I had no more to urge in his behalf. In its native wilds no animal is more timid, and eager to avoid all risk of danger. The roe has peculiarly acute organs of sight, smelling, and hearing, and makes good use of all three in avoiding its enemies. In shooting roe, it depends so much on the cover, and other local causes, whether dogs or beaters should be used, that no rule can be laid down as to which is best. Nothing is more exciting than running roe with beagles, where the ground is suitable, and the covers so situated that the dogs and their game are frequently in sight. The hounds for roe-shooting should be small and slow. Dwarf harriers are the best, or good- sized rabbit-beagles, where the ground is not too rough. The roe when hunted by small dogs of this kind does not make away, but runs generally in a circle, and is seldom above a couple of hundred yards ahead of the beagles, stopping every now and then to listen, and allowing them to come very near, before he goes off again, in this way giving the sportsman a good chance of knowing where the deer is during most of the run. Many people use fox-hounds for roe-shooting, but gener- ally these dogs run too fast, and press the roebuck so much that he will not stand it. but leaves the cover, and goes straight- o o way out of reach of the sportsman, who is left to cool himself without any hope of a shot. Besides this, you entirely banish roe from the cover if you hunt them frequently with fast hounds, as no animal more delights in quiet and solitude, or will less put up with too much driving. In most woods beaters are better for shooting roe with than dogs, though the combined cunning and timidity of the animal frequently make it double back through the midst of the rank of beaters ; particularly if it has any suspicion of a concealed enemy in consequence of having scented or heard the shooters at their posts, for it prefers 22 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. facing the shouts and noise of the beaters to passing within reach of a hidden danger, the extent and nature of which it has not ascertained. By taking advantage of the animal's timidity and shyness in this respect, I have frequently got shots at roe in large woods by placing people in situations where the animal could smell them but not see them, thus driving it back to my place of concealment. Though they generally prefer the warmest and driest part of the woods to lie in, I have some- times when looking for ducks started roe in the marshy grounds, where they lie close in the tufts of long heather and rushes. Being much tormented with ticks and wood-flies, they frequently in the hot weather betake themselves not only to these marshy places, but even to the fields of high corn, where they sit in a form like a hare. Being good swimmers, they cross rivers without hesitation in their way to and from their favourite feeding-places ; indeed, I have often known roe pass across the river daily, living on one side, and going to feed every evening on the other. Even when wounded, I have seen a roebuck beat three powerful and active dogs in the water, keeping ahead of them, and requiring another shot before he was secured. Though very much attached to each other, and living mostly in pairs, 1 I have known a doe take up her abode for several years in a solitary strip of wood. Every season she crossed a large extent of hill to find a mate, and returned after two or three weeks' absence. When her young ones, which she pro- duced every year, were come to their full size, they always went away, leaving their mother in solitary possession of her wood. The roe almost always keep to woodland, but I have known a stray roebuck take to lying out on the hill at some distance from the covers. I had frequently started this buck out of glens and hollows several miles from the woods. One day, as I was stalking some hinds in a broken part of the hill, and had got within two hundred yards of one of them, a fine fat barren hind, the roebuck started out of a hollow between me and the red deer, and galloping straight towards them, gave the alarm, and they all made off. The buck, however, got confused by the noise and galloping of the larger animals, and, turning back, passed me within fifty yards. So to punish him for spoiling 1 They do not unite in herds, but live in separate families. Scrope, Deer Stalking, p. 183. ii HABITS OF ROE-DEER 23 my sport I took a deliberate aim as he went quickly but steadily on, and killed him dead. I happened to be alone that day, so I shouldered my buck and walked home with him, a three hours' distance of rough ground, and I was tired enough of his weight before I reached the house. In shooting roe, shot is at all times far preferable to ball. The latter, though well aimed, frequently passes clean through the animal, apparently without injuring him, and the poor creature goes away to die in some hidden corner ; whereas a charge of shot gives him such a shock that he drops much more readily to it than to a rifle-ball, unless indeed the ball happens to strike the heart or spine. Having killed roe constantly with both rifle and gun, small shot and large, I am inclined to think that the most effective charge is an Eley's cartridge with No. 2 shot in it. I have, when woodcock-shooting, frequently killed roe with No. 6 shot, as when they are going across and are shot well forward, they are as easy to kill as a hare, though they will carry off a great deal of shot if hit too far behind. No one should ever shoot roe without some well-trained dog, to follow them when wounded ; as no animal is more often lost when mortally wounded. Where numerous, roe are very mischievous to both corn and turnips, eating and destroying great quantities, and as they feed generally in the dark, lying still all day, their devastations are difficult to guard against. Their acute sense of smelling enables them to detect the approach of any danger, when they bound off to their coverts, ready to return as soon as it is past. In April they go great distances to feed on the clover-fields, where the young plants are then just springing up. In autumn, the ripening oats are their favourite food, and in winter, the turnips, wherever these crops are at hand, or within reach from the woods. A curious and melancholy accident happened in a parish situated in one of the eastern counties of Scotland a few years ago. Perhaps the most extraordinary part of the story is that it is perfectly true. Some idle fellows of the village near the place where the catastrophe happened having heard that the roe and deer from the neighbouring woods were in the habit of feeding in some fields of high corn, two of them repaired to the place in the dusk of the evening with a loaded gun, to wait for the arrival of the deer at their nightly feeding- 24 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. ground. They had waited some time, and the evening shades were making all objects more and more indistinct every moment, when they heard a rustling in the standing corn, at a short distance from them, and looking in the direction they saw some large animal moving. Having no doubt that it was a deer that they saw, the man who had the gun took his aim, his finger was on the trigger, and his eye along the barrel ; he waited, however, to get a clearer view of the animal, which had ceased moving. At this instant, his companion, who was close to him, saw, to his astonishment, the flash of a gun from the spot where the supposed deer was, and almost before he heard the report his companion fell back dead upon him, and with the same ball he himself received a mortal wound. The horror and astonishment of the author of this unlucky deed can scarcely be imagined when, on running up, he found, instead of a deer, one man lying dead and another senseless and mortally wounded. Luckily, as it happened, the \vounded man lived long enough to declare before witnesses that his death was occasioned solely by accident, and that his companion, at the moment of his being killed, was aiming at the man who killed them. The latter did not long survive the affair. Struck with grief and sorrow at the mistake he had committed, his mind and health gave way, and he died soon afterwards. The difference in the colour and kind of hair that a roe's skin is covered with, at different seasons of the year, is astonish- ingly great. From May to October they are covered with bright red-brown hair, and but little of it. In winter their coat is a fine dark mouse-colour, very long and close, but the hair is brittle, and breaks easily in the hand like dried grass. When run with greyhounds, the roebuck at first leaves the dogs far behind, but if pressed and unable to make his usual cover, he appears to become confused and exhausted, his bounds become shorter, and he seems to give up the race. In wood, when driven, they invariably keep as much as they can to the closest portions of the cover, and in going from one part to another follow the line where the trees stand nearest to each other, avoiding the more open parts as long as possible. For some unknown reason, as they do it without any apparent cause, such as being hard hunted, or driven by want of food, the roe some- times take it into their heads to swim across wide pieces ot ii CUNNING OF ROE-DEER 25 water, and even arms of the sea. I have known roe caught by boatmen in the Cromarty Firth, swimming strongly across the entrance of the bay, and making good way against the current of the tide, which runs there with great rapidity. Higher up the same firth, too, roe have been caught when in the act of crossing. When driven by hounds, I have seen one swim Loch Ness. They are possessed of great cunning in doubling and turning to elude these persevering enemies. I used to shoot roe to fox-hounds, and one day was much amused by watching an old roebuck, who had been run for some time by three of my dogs. I was lying concealed on a height above him, and saw the poor animal go upon a small mound covered with young fir-trees. He stood there till the hounds were close on him, though not in view ; then taking a great leap at right angles to the course in which he had before been running, he lay flat down with his head on the ground, completely throw- ing out the hounds, who had to cast about in order to find his track again ; when one bitch appeared to be coming straight upon the buck, he rose quietly up, and crept in a stooping position round the mound, getting behind the dogs. In this way, on a very small space of ground, he managed for a quarter of an hour to keep out of view of, though close to, three capital hounds, well accustomed to roe - hunting. Sometimes he squatted flat on the ground, and at others leaped off at an angle, till having rested himself, and the hounds having made a wide cast, fancying that he had left the place, the buck took an opportunity to slip off unobserved, and crossing an opening in the wood, came straight up the hill to me, when I shot him. The greatest drawback to preserving roe to any great extent is, that they are so shy and nocturnal in their habits that they seldom show themselves in the daytime. I some- times see a roe passing like a shadow through the trees, or standing gazing at me from a distance in some sequestered glade ; but, generally speaking, they are no ornament about a place, their presence being only known by the mischief they do to the young plantations and to the crops. A keeper in Kincardineshire this year told me, that he had often early in the morning counted above twenty roe in a single turnip-field. As for the sport afforded by shooting them, I never killed one 26 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAI>. n without regretting it, and wishing that I could bring the poor animal to life again. I do not think that roe are sufficiently appreciated as venison, yet they are excellent eating when killed in proper season, between October and February, and of a proper age. In summer the meat is not worth cooking, being dry, and sometimes rank. ROE SWIMMING I-OCH SHOOTING A WITCH CHAPTER III Grouse's Nest Partridge Nest Grouse-shooting Marten Cat Witch, Death of Stags Snaring Grouse Black Game : Battles of Hybrid Bird Ptarmigan- shooting Mist on the Mountain Stag Unsuccessful Stalking Death of Eagle. I FOUND the nest of a grouse with eight eggs, or rather egg- shells, within two hundred yards of a small farm-house on a part of my shooting-ground, where there is a mere strip of heather surrounded by cultivated fields, and on a spot par- ticularly infested by colley-dogs, as well as by herd-boys, et id genus oinne. But the poor bird, although so surrounded by enemies, had managed to hatch and lead away her brood in safety. I saw them frequently afterwards, and they all came to maturity. How many survived the shooting-season I do not know, but the covey numbered eight birds far on in October. 28 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. If the parent bird had selected her nesting-place for beauty of prospect, she could not have pitched upon a lovelier spot. The nest was on a little mound where I always stop, when walking in that direction, to admire the extensive and varied view the Bay of Findhorn and the sand-hills, the Moray Firth, with the entrance to the Cromarty Bay, and the bold rocky headlands backed by the mountains of Ross-shire. Sutherland, Caithness, Inverness, and Ross-shire are all seen from this spot ; whilst the rich plains of Moray, dotted with timber, and intersected by the winding stream of the Findhorn, with the woods of Altyre, Darnaway, and Brodie, form a nearer picture. It is a curious fact, but one which I have often observed, that dogs frequently pass close to the nest of grouse, partridge, or other game, without scenting the hen bird as she sits on her eggs. I knew this year of a partridge's 1 nest which was placed close to a narrow footpath near my house ; and although not only my people, but all my dogs, were constantly passing within a foot and a half of the bird, they never found her out, and she hatched her brood in safety. Grouse generally make their nest in a high tuft of heather. The eggs are peculiarly beautiful and game-like, of a rich brown colour, spotted closely with black. Although in some peculiarly early seasons, the young birds are full grown by the I2th ol August, in general five birds out of six which are killed on that day are only half come to their strength and beauty. The 2oth of the month would be a much better day on which to commence their legal persecution. In October there is not a more beautiful bird in our island ; and in January a cock grouse is one of the most superb fellows in the world, as he struts about fearlessly with his mate, his bright red comb erected above his eyes, and his rich dark-brown plumage shining in the sun. Unluckily, they are more easily killed at this time of the year than at any other ; and I have been assured that a ready market is found for them not only in 1 When she has small young ones, the partridge becomes very bold sometimes, and I have seen one attack and strike a dog which was passing with me close to the wood. The partridge conceals her nest and eggs, and even the entrance to it through the long grass with the greatest care. It is, however, often placed close to a road or path, on which occasion dogs, etc., seem to pass close to the old bird while sitting, without finding her scent. At the same time I have known an old partridge caught on her eggs by my retriever and brought to me. I released the bird, and the next day she was again on her eggs, which were all hatched in due time. C. St. J. GROUSE DISEASE 29 January, but to the end of February, though in fine seasons they begin to nest very early in March. Hardy must the grouse be, and prolific beyond calculation, to supply the numbers that are yearly killed, legally and illegally. 1 Vermin, however, are their worst enemies ; and where the ground is kept clear of all their winged and four-footed destroyers, no shooting seems to reduce their numbers. I cannot say that my taste leads me to rejoice in the slaughter of a large bag of grouse in one day. I have no ambition to see my name in the county newspapers as having bagged my seventy brace of grouse, in a certain number of hours, on such and such a hill. I have much more satisfaction in killing a moderate quantity of birds, in a wild and varied range of hill, with my single brace of dogs, and wandering in any direction that fancy leads me, than in having my day's beat laid out for me, with relays of dogs and keepers, and all the means of killing the grouse on easy walking ground, where they are so numerous that one has only to load and fire. In the latter case, I generally find myself straying off in pursuit of some teal or snipe, to the neglect of the grouse, and the disgust of the keeper, who may think his dignity compromised by attending a sportsman who returns with less than fifty brace. Nothing is so easy to shoot as a grouse, when they are tolerably tame ; and with a little choice of his shots, a very moderate 1 Since the days of Mr. St. John the scourge known as the grouse disease has become only too familiar in Scotland. Its first recorded appearance was in 1838. It was again prevalent in 1856, and in 1868 a disastrous outbreak visited the greater part of the Scottish moors. Subsequently, in 1872-73, in 1880, and in 1889, it has been experienced with more or less severity. Various causes, more or less conjectural, have been assigned for this mortality. Although this is not the place to enter into a disquisition on the subject, we may enumerate some causes as follows : overstocking of moors, the artificial destruction of vermin, frosted heather, the large consumption of corn in some places by the birds, the existence of a parasitic worm in the intestines, etc. To each of these theories a very probable, if not absolutely conclusive, refutation has been supplied. The widely-extended prevalence of the disease, when it does break out, is not compatible with the existence of any cause which is more or less local. We must be content to assume that the hitherto undiscovered cause is akin to those which produce widespread epidemics among mankind, though in all probability some of the foregoing conditions may tend to increase the virulence of the disease at certain times and in certain districts. For an exhaustive treatment of the subject we would refer the reader to Dr. T. Spencer Cobbold's The Grouse Disease, and T. Speedy's Sport in the Highlands and Lmvlands. Dr. E. Klein (Etiology and Pathology of Grouse Disease: Macmillan, 1892) is the last inquirer into the malady. He deems it "an acute, infectious pneumonia," and has detected and cultivated the microbe characteristic of the disease. He can suggest no remedy, however, except the old-fashioned receipt to destroy all suspicious -looking birds. 30 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. marksman ought to kill nearly every bird that he shoots at early in the season, when the birds sit close, fly slowly, and are easily found. At the end of the season, when the coveys are scattered far and wide, and the grouse rise and fly wildly, it requires quick shooting and good walking to make up a handsome bag ; but how much better worth killing are the birds at this time of year than in August. If my reader will wade through some leaves of an old note-book, I will describe the kind of shooting that, in my opinion, renders the sporting in the Highlands far preferable to any other that Great Britain can afford. 1 October 2Ot/i. Determined to shoot across to Malcolm's shealing, at the head of the river, twelve miles distant ; to sleep there ; and kill some ptarmigan the next day. For the first mile of our walk we passed through the old fir woods, where the sun seldom penetrates. In the different grassy glades we saw several roe, but none within shot. A fir-cone falling to the ground made me look up, and I saw a marten cat running like a squirrel from branch to branch. The moment the little animal saw that my eye was on him he stopped short, and curling himself up in the fork of a branch, peered down on me. Pretty as he was, I fired at him. He sprang from his hiding-place, and fell half-way down, but catching at a branch, clung to it for a minute, holding on with his fore-paws. I was just going to fire at him again, when he lost his hold, and came down on my dogs' heads, who soon despatched him, wounded as he was. One of the dogs had learned by some means to be an excellent vermin-killer, though steady and staunch at game. As we were just leaving the wood a woodcock rose, which I killed. Our way took us up the rushy course of a burn. Both dogs came to a dead point near the stream, and then drew for at least a quarter of a mile, and just as my patience began to be exhausted, a brace of magnificent old blackcocks rose, but out of shot. One of them came back right over our heads at a good height, making for the wood. As he flew quick down the wind, I aimed nearly a 1 The modern practice and science of grouse-driving was still undiscovered in the days of Mr. St. John. Readers who wish to become acquainted with the literature of this subject are referred to the Badminton Library, and to Mr. Speedy's Sport in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland. in SHOOTING A WITCH 31 yard ahead of him as he came towards me, and down he fell, fifty yards behind me, with a force that seemed enough to break every bone in his body. Another and another blackcock fell to my gun before we had left the burn, and also a hare, who got up in the broken ground near the water. Our next cast took us up a slope of hill, where we found a wild covey of grouse. Right and left at them the moment they rose, and killed a brace ; the rest went over the hill. Another covey on the same ground gave me three shots. From the top of the hill we saw a dreary expanse of flat ground, with Loch A-na-caillach in the centre of it, a bleak cold-looking piece of water, with several small grey pools near it. Donald told me a long story of the origin of its name, pointing out a large cairn of stones at one end of it. The story was, that some few years ago " Not so long either, Sir (said Donald) ; for Rory Beg, the auld smuggler, that died last year, has often told me that he minded the whole thing weel " there lived down below the woods an old woman, by habit and repute a witch, and one possessed of more than mortal power, which she used in a most malicious manner, spreading sickness and death among man and beast The minister of the place, who came, however, but once a month to do duty in a building called a chapel, was the only person who, by dint of prayer and Bible, could annoy or resist her. He at last made her so uncomfortable by attacking her with holy water and other spiritual weapons, that she suddenly left the place, and no one knew where she went to. It soon became evident, however, that her abode was not far off, as cattle and people were still taken ill in the same unaccount- able manner as before. At last, an idle fellow, who was out poaching deer near Loch A-na-caillach late one evening, saw her start through the air from the cairn of stones towards the inhabited part of the country. This put people on the look- out, and she was constantly seen passing to and fro on her unholy errands during the fine moonlight nights. Many a time was she shot at as she flew past, but without success. At last a pot-valiant and unbelieving old fellow, who had long been a sergeant in some Highland regiment, determined to free his neighbours from the witch ; and having loaded his gun with a double charge of gunpowder, put in, instead of shot, a crooked sixpence and some silver buttons, which he had made booty of 3 2 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. somewhere or other in war time. He then, in the most fool- hardy manner, laid himself down on the hill, just where we were then standing when Donald told me the story, and, by the light of the moon, watched the witch leave her habitation in the cairn of stones. As soon as she was gone, he went to the very place which she had just left, and there lay down in ambush to await her return. " 'Deed did he, Sir ; for auld Duncan was a mad-like deevil of a fellow, and was feared of nothing." Long he waited, and many a pull he took at his bottle of smuggled whisky, in order to keep out the cold of a September night. At last, when the first grey of the morning began to appear, " Duncan hears a sough, and a wild uncanny kind of skirl over his head, and he sees the witch hersel, just coming like a muckle bird right towards him, 'deed, Sir, but he wished himsel at hame ; and his finger was so stiff with cold and fear that he could na scarce pull the trigger. At last, and long, he did put out (Anglice, shoot off) just as she was hovering over his head, and going to light down on the cairn." Well, to cut the story short, the next morning Duncan was found lying on the cairn in a deep slumber, half sleep and half swoon, with his gun burst, his collar-bone nearly broken, and a fine large heron shot through and through lying beside him, which heron, as every one felt assured, was the caillach herself. " She has na done much harm since yon (concluded Donald) ; but her ghaist is still to the fore, and the loch side is no canny after the gloaming. But, Lord guide us, Sir, what's that ? " and a large long-legged hind rose from some hollow close to the loch, and having stood for a minute with her long ears standing erect, and her gaze turned intently on us, she trotted slowly off, soon disappearing amongst the broken ground. But where are the dogs all this time ? There they are, both standing, and evidently at different packs of grouse. I killed three of these birds, taking a right and left shot at one dog's point, and then going to the other. Off went Old Shot now, according to his usual habit, straight to a rushy pool. I had him from a friend in Ireland, and being used to snipe-shooting, he preferred it to everything else. The cunning old fellow chose not to hear my call, but made for his favourite spot. He immediately stood, and now for the first time seemed to think of his master, as he looked ON THE HILL 33 back over his shoulder at me, as much as to say, " Make haste down to me, here is some game." And sure enough up got a snipe, which I killed. The report of my gun putting up a pair of mallards, one of which I winged a long way off, " Hie away, Shot," and Shot, who was licensed to take such liberties, splashed in with great glee, and after being lost to sight for some minutes amongst the high rushes, came back with the mallard in his mouth. " A bad lesson for Carlo that, Master Shot," but he knows better than to follow your example. We now went up the opposite slope leaving Loch A-na-caillach behind us, and killing some grouse, and a mountain hare, 1 with no white about her as yet. We next came to a long stony ridge, with small patches of high heather. A pair of ravens rising from the rocks, soared croaking over us for some time. A pair or two of old grouse were all we killed here. But the view from the summit was splendidly wild as we looked over a long range of grey rocks, beyond which lay a wide and exten- sive lake, with several small islands in it. The opposite shore of the lake was fringed with birch-trees, and in the distance were a line of lofty mountains whose sharp peaks were covered with snow. Human habitation or evidence of the presence of man was there not, and no sound broke the silence of the soli- tude excepting the croak of the ravens and the occasional whistle of a plover. " Yon is a fine corrie for deer," said Donald, making me start, as he broke my reverie, and pointing out a fine amphitheatre of rocks just below us. Not being on the look-out for deer, however, I did not pay much attention to what he said, but allowed the dogs to range on where they liked. Left to themselves, and not finding much game, they hunted wide, and we had been walking in silence for some time, when on coming round a small rise between us and the dogs, I saw two fine stags standing, who, intent on watching the dogs, did not see us. After standing motionless for a minute, the deer walked deliberately towards us, not observing us until 1 Lepus albus, commonly known as the white or blue hare, has increased in numbers considerably in many parts of Scotland, mainly owing to the destruction of vermin. This hare has increased of late years to a wonderful extent in some of the higher parts of Scotland, becoming quite a nuisance both to the sheep-farmer and the grouse-shooter, tainting the whole ground. Occasionally it descends from the high grounds, and I have known it killed not only in the woods, but even as far from its home as the seashore near Covesea, Spynie, etc. Change of dress in autumn caused by an actual change of colour in the hair itself, without the shedding of the fur. C. St. J. D 34 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. they were within forty yards ; they then suddenly halted, stared at us, snorted, and then went off at a trot, but soon breaking into a gallop, fled rapidly away, but were in sight for a long distance. Shot stood watching the deer for some time, but at last seeing that we took no steps against them, looked at me, and then went on hunting. We killed several more grouse and a brace of teal. Towards the afternoon we struck off to the shepherd's house. In the fringe of a birch that sheltered it, we killed a blackcock and hen, and at last got to the end of our walk with fifteen brace of grouse, five black game, one mallard, a snipe, a woodcock, two teal, and two hares ; and right glad was I to ease my shoulder of that portion of the game which I carried to help Donald, who would at any time have preferred assisting me to stalk a red deer than to kill and carry grouse. Although my day's sport did not amount to any great number, the variety of game, and the beautiful and wild scenery I had passed through, made me enjoy it more than if I had been shooting in the best and easiest muir in Scotland, and killing fifty or sixty brace of birds. In preserving and increasing a stock of grouse, the first thing is to kill the vermin of every kind, and none more care- fully than the grey crows, 1 as these keen-sighted birds destroy an immense number of eggs. The grouse should also be well watched in the neighbourhood of any small farms or corn-fields that may be on the ground, as incredible numbers are caught in horsehair snares on the sheaves of corn. A system of netting grouse has been practised by some of the poachers lately, and when the birds are not wild 1 Gray says (Birds of Scotland, p. 178) that the hooded invariably breeds with the carrion crow in almost every district of Western Scotland where the two are found. It is a permanent resident in the Inner and Outer Hebrides and St. Kilda, and particularly mischievous to lambs and poultry on the west side of the Long Island. If it gets a chance it will even rob eagles' nests. The Gaelic name of the bird is "flannag," which means to skin or flay. A Moray- shire proverb said The guile, the Gordon, and the hooded craw, Were the three worst things Moray ever saw. The guile is a common corn-weed ; the Gordon, the plundering Lord Lewis Gordon. " It is now, however, but seldom that Moray ever sees a hooded crow, at least at a time when its presence is really injurious, strychnine and gunpowder having cleared the country of it as a pest." Cf. note on p. 48. A large case containing specimens of variations between the hooded and carrion crow may be seen at the Natural History Museum, Kensington, and is well worthy of inspec- tion by all who are interested in these birds. BLACK GAME 35 they catch great numbers in this manner ; and as in nine cases out of ten the shepherds are in the habit of assisting and harbouring the poachers, as well as allowing their dogs to destroy as many eggs and young birds as they like, these men require as much watching as possible. I have generally found it entirely useless to believe a word that they tell me respecting the encroachments of poachers, even if they do not poach themselves. With a clever sheep-dog and a stick I would engage to kill three parts of every covey of young grouse which I found in July and the first part of August ; and, in fact, the shepherds generally do kill great numbers in this noiseless and destructive manner. As the black game for the most part breed in plantations, where sheep and shepherds have no business to be found, they are less likely to be killed in this way. But the young ones, till nearly full grown, lie so close, that it is quite easy to catch half the brood. When able to run, the old hen leads them to the vicinity of some wet and mossy place in or near the woodlands, where the seeds of the coarse grass and of other plants, and the insects that abound near the water, afford the young birds plenty of food. The hen takes great care of her young, fluttering near any intruder as if lame, and having led him to some distance from the brood takes flight, and making a circuit returns to them. The cock bird sometimes keeps with the brood, but takes good care of himself, and running off leaves them to their fate. Wild and wary as the blackcock usually is, he sometimes waits till you almost tread on him, and then flutters away, giving as easy a shot to the sportsman as a turkey would do. At other times, being fond of basking in the sun, he lies all day enjoying its rays in some open place where it is difficult to approach him without being seen. In snowy weather the black game perch very much on the fir-trees, as if to avoid chilling their feet on the colder ground ; in wet weather they do the same. During the spring, and also in the autumn, about the time the first hoar-frosts are felt, I have often watched the black- cocks in the early morning, when they collect on some rock or height, and strut and crow with their curious note not unlike that of a wood-pigeon. On these occasions they often have 3 6 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. most desperate battles. I have seen five or six blackcocks all fighting at once, and so intent and eager were they, that I approached within a few yards before they rose. Usually there seems to be a master-bird in these assemblages, who takes up his position on the most elevated spot, crowing and strutting round and round with spread-out tail like a turkey- cock, and his wings trailing on the ground. The hens remain quietly near him, whilst the smaller or younger male birds keep at a respectful distance, neither daring to crow, except in a sub- dued kind of voice, nor to approach the hens. If they attempt the latter, the master-bird dashes at the intruder, and often a short melee ensues, several others joining in it, but they soon return to their former respectful distance. I have also seen an old blackcock crowing on a birch-tree with a dozen hens below it, and the younger cocks looking on in fear and admiration. It is at these times that numbers fall to the share of the poacher, who knows that the birds resort to the same spot every morning. Strong as the blackcock is, he is often killed by the pere- grine falcon and the hen-harrier. When pursued by these birds, I have known the blackcock so frightened as to allow himself to be taken by the hand. I once caught one myself who had been driven by a falcon into the garden, where he took refuge under a gooseberry bush and remained quiet till I picked him up. I kept him for a day or two, and then, as he did not get reconciled to his prison, I turned him loose to try his fortune again in the woods. Like some other wary birds, the blackcock, when flushed at a distance, if you happen to be in his line of flight, will pass over your head without turning off, as long as you remain motionless. In some places, appa- rently well adapted for these birds, they will never increase, although left undisturbed and protected, some cause or other preventing their breeding. Where they take well to a place, they increase very rapidly, and, from their habit of taking long flights, soon find out the corn-fields, and are very de- structive, more so, probably, than any other kind of winged game. A bold bird by nature, the blackcock, when in confinement is easily tamed, and soon becomes familiar and attached to his master. In the woods instances are known of the blackcock in PTARMIGAN 37 breeding with the pheasant. 1 I saw a hybrid of this kind at a bird-stufTer's in Newcastle : it had been killed near Alnwick Castle. The bird was of a beautiful bronzed -brown colour, and partaking in a remarkable degree of the characteristics of both pheasant and black game. I have heard also of a bird being killed which was supposed to be bred between grouse and black game, but I was by no means satisfied that it was anything but a peculiarly dark-coloured grouse. The difference of colour in grouse is very great, and on different ranges of hills is quite conspicuous. On some ranges the birds have a good deal of white on their breasts, on others they are nearly black : they also vary very much in size. Our other species of grouse, the ptarmigan, 2 as every sportsman knows, is found only on the highest ranges of the Highlands. Living above all vegetation, this bird finds its scanty food amongst the loose stones and rocks that cover the summits of Ben Nevis and some other mountains. It is difficult to ascertain indeed what food the ptarmigan can find in sufficient quantities on the barren heights where they are found. Being visited by the sportsman but rarely, these birds are seldom at all shy or wild, but, if the day is fine, will come out from among the scattered stones, uttering their peculiar croaking cry, and running in flocks near the intruder on their lonely domain, offer, even to the worst shot, an easy chance of filling his bag. When the weather is windy and rainy, the ptarmigan are frequently shy and wild ; and when disturbed, instead of 1 For a celebrated instance see White's Selborne (ed. Bell, i. p. 430), and the notes on this hybrid, which are accompanied by a figure from Elmer's painting of it, in Sir W. Jardine's edition of White, p. 274. With regard to black game breeding with grouse, see Colquhoun, The Moor and the Loch, vol. i. p. 169, 4th ed. An accurate likenes of such a hybrid forms the frontispiece to that volume. ' ' ' The ptarmigan seems never to descend from the summits of the mountains, and is never found in heather, keeping always to the loose stony tracts which are found above all vegetable growth, with the exception of the plants and mosses that can exist 3000 feet above the level of the sea in this country " (Natural History and Sport in Moray, p. 188). " Ptarmigan, in both sexes, have a triple moult : after the breeding season is over into a grey suit ; then again, as autumn passes on, into their snowy winter clothing ; in spring they put on again another distinctive dress the wings and tail, however, do not partake of these changes" (Art. "Birds," Encyc. Britan. vol. iii. 1875). The contrast of white feathers in a ptarmigan's wing with the delicately pencilled grey feathers, as the bird is passing into the winter change, is exquisite. Perhaps no other bird exhibits such snow- white plumage. 3 S WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. running about like tame chickens, they fly rapidly off to some distance, either round some shoulder of the mountain, or by crossing some precipitous and rocky ravine get quite out of reach. The shooting these birds should only be attempted on fine, calm days. The labour of reaching the ground they inhabit is great, and it often requires a firm foot and steady head to keep the sportsman out of danger after he has got to the rocky and stony summit of the mountain. In deer-stalking I have sometimes come amongst large flocks of ptarmigan, which have run croaking close to me, apparently conscious that my pursuit of nobler game would prevent my firing at them. Once, on one of the highest mountains of Scotland, a cold, wet mist suddenly came on. We heard the ptarmigan near us in all directions, but could see nothing at a greater distance than five or six yards. We were obliged to sit down and wait for the mist to clear away, as we found ourselves gradually getting entangled amongst loose rocks, which frequently, on the slightest touch, rolled away from under our feet, and we heard them dashing and bounding down the steep sides of the mountain, sometimes appearing, from the noise they made, to be dislodging and driving before them large quantities of debris ; others seemed to bound in long leaps down the precipices, till we lost the sound far below us in the depths of the corries. Not knowing our way in the least, we agreed to come to a halt for a short time, in hopes of some alteration in the weather. Presently a change came over the appearance of the mist, which settled in large fleecy masses below us, leaving us as it were on an island in the midst of a snow-white sea, the blue sky and bright sun above us without a cloud. As a light air sprang up, the mist detached itself in loose masses, and by degrees drifted off the mountain side, affording us again a full view of all around us. The magnificence of the scenery, looking down from some of these mountain heights into the depths of the rugged and steep ravines below, is often more splendid and awfully beautiful than pen or pencil can describe ; and the effect is often greatly increased by the contrast between some peaceful and sparkling stream and green valley seen afar off, and the rugged and barren foreground of rock and ravine, in CLOUD EFFECTS 39 where no living thing can find a resting-place save the eagle or raven. I remember a particular incident of that day's ptarmigan- shooting ; which, though it stopped our sport for some hours, I would not on any account have missed seeing. Most of the mist had cleared away, excepting a few cloud-like drifts, which were passing along the steep sides of the mountain. These, as one by one they gradually came into the influence of the MOUNTAIN SCENERY currents of air, were whirled and tossed about, and then dis- appeared ; lost to sight in the clear noonday atmosphere, as if evaporated by wind and sun. One of these light clouds, which we were watching, was suddenly caught in an eddy of wind, and, after being twisted into strange fantastic shapes, was lifted up from the face of the mountain like a curtain, leaving in its place a magnificent stag, of a size of body and stretch of antler rarely seen ; he was not above three hundred yards from us, and standing in. full relief between us and the sky. After gazing around him, and looking 40 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. like the spirit of the mountain, he walked slowly on towards a ridge which connected two shoulders of the mountain together. Frequently he stopped, and scratched with his hoof at some lichen -covered spot, feeding slowly (quite unconscious of danger) on the moss which he separated from the stones. I drew my shot, and put bullets into both barrels, and we fol- lowed him cautiously, creeping through the winding hollows of the rocks, sometimes advancing towards the stag, and at other times obliged suddenly to throw ourselves flat on the face of the stony mountain, to avoid his piercing gaze, as he turned frequently round to see that no enemy was following in his track. He came at one time to a ridge from which he had a clear view of a long stretch of the valley beneath. Here he halted to look down either in search of his comrades or to see that all was safe in that direction. I could see the tops of his horns as they remained perfectly motionless for several minutes on the horizon. We immediately made on for the place, crawling like worms over the stones, regardless of bruises and cuts. We were within about eighty yards of the points of his horns ; the rest of the animal was invisible, being concealed by a mass of stone behind which he was standing. I looked over my shoulder at Donald, who answered my look with a most significant kind of silent chuckle ; and, pointing at his knife, as if to say that we should soon require its services, he signed to me to move a little to the right hand, to get the animal free of the rock, which prevented my shooting at him. I rolled myself quietly a little to one side, and then silently cocking both barrels, rose carefully and slowly to one knee. I had already got his head and neck within my view, and in another instant would have had his shoulder. My finger was already on the trigger, and I was rising gradually an inch or two higher. The next moment he would have been mine, when, without apparent cause, he suddenly moved, disappearing from our sight in an instant behind the rocks. I should have risen upright, and probably should have got a shot ; but Donald's hand was laid on my head without ceremony, holding me down. He whispered, " The muckle brute has na felt us ; we shall see him again in a moment." We waited for a few minutes, almost afraid to breathe, when Donald, with a move- in SHOOTING AN EAGLE 41 ment of impatience, muttered, " 'Deed, Sir, but I'm no under- standing it," and whispered to me to go on to look over the ridge, which I did, expecting to see the stag feeding, or lying close below it. When I did look over, however, I saw the noble animal at a considerable distance, picking his way down the slope to join some half-dozen hinds who were feeding below him, and who occasionally raised their heads to take a good look at their approaching lord and master. " The Deil tak the brute," was all that Donald said, as he took a long and far- sounding pinch of snuff, his invariable consolation and resource in times of difficulty or disappointment. When the stag had joined the hinds, and some ceremonies of recognition had been gone through, they all went quietly and steadily away, till we lost sight of them over the shoulder of the next hill. " They'll no stop till they get to Alt-na-cahr," said Donald, naming a winding rushy burn at some distance off; "Alt-na-cahr" mean- ing the " Burn of many turns," as far as my knowledge of Gaelic goes. And there we were constrained to leave them and continue our ptarmigan-shooting, which we did with but little success and less spirit. Soon afterwards a magnificent eagle suddenly rose almost at our feet, as we came to the edge of a precipice, on a shelf of which, near the summit, he had been resting. Bang went one barrel at him, at a distance of twenty yards. The small shot struck him severely, and, dropping his legs, he rose into the air, darting upwards nearly perpendicularly, a perfect cloud of feathers coming out of him. He then came wheeling in a stupefied manner back over our heads. We both of us fired together at him, and down he fell with one wing broken, and hit all over with our small shot. He struggled hard to keep up with the other wing, but could not do so, and came heavily to the ground within a yard of the edge of the precipice. He fell over on his back at first, and then rising up on his feet, looked round with an air of reproachful defiance. The blood was dropping slowly out of his beak, when Donald foolishly ran to secure him, instead of leaving him to die where he was ; in consequence of his doing so, the eagle fluttered back a few steps, still, however, keeping his face to the foe. But, coming to the edge of the precipice, he fell backwards over it, and we saw him tumbling and WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS struggling downwards, as he strove to cling to the projections of the rock but in vain, as he came to no stop till he reached the bottom, where we beheld him, after regaining his feet for a short time, sink gradually to the ground. It was impossible for us to reach the place where he lay dead without going so far round that the daylight would have failed us. I must own, notwithstanding the reputed destructiveness of the eagle, that I looked with great regret at the dead body of the noble bird, and wished that I had not killed him, the more especially as I was obliged to leave him to rot uselessly in that inaccessible place. PTARMIGAN CHAPTER IV The Wild Cat : Strength of ; Rencontre with Trapping tame Cats : Destructiveness of Poisoning vermin Trapping vermin THE true wild cat l is gradually becoming extirpated, owing to the increasing preservation of game ; and though difficult to hold in a trap, in consequence of its great strength and agility, 1 The Duke of Sutherland, as head of the Clan Chattan, naturally protects the wild cat to a certain extent. Mr. F. Buckland states that a striking difference exists between it and tame cats in the length of intestines. They were only five feet in two specimens of the wild cat, whereas they would be probably three times the length in the domesti- cated cat (Log-Book of a Fisherman, p. 252). The wild cat is certainly not the parent stock of our household cats. Its period of gestation is sixty-eight days, twelve days longer than that of the domestic animal, yet they have been known to breed together (St. G. Mivart, The Cat, Murray, 1881, p. 6 note). 44 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. it is by no means difficult to deceive, taking any bait readily, and not seeming to be as cautious in avoiding danger as many other kinds of vermin. Inhabiting the most lonely and in- accessible ranges of rock and mountain, the wild cat is seldom seen during the daytime ; at night (like its domestic relative) it prowls far and wide, walking with the same deliberate step, making the same regular and even track, and hunting its game in the same tiger-like manner ; and yet the difference between the two animals is perfectly clear, and visible to the commonest observer. The wild cat has a shorter and more bushy tail, stands higher on her legs in proportion to her size, and has a rounder and coarser look about the head. The strength and ferocity of the wild cat when hemmed in or hard pressed are perfectly astonishing. The body when skinned presents quite a mass of sinew and cartilage. I have occasionally, though rarely, fallen in with these animals in the forests and mountains of this country ; once, when grouse -shooting, I came suddenly, in a rough and rocky part of the ground, upon a family of two old ones and three half-grown young ones. In the hanging birch- woods that border some of the Highland streams and lochs, the wild cat is still not uncommon, and I have heard their wild and unearthly cry echo far in the quiet night as they answer and call to each other. I do not know a more harsh and unpleasant cry than that of the wild cat, or one more likely to be the origin of superstitious fears in the mind of an ignorant Highlander. These animals have great skill in finding their prey, and the damage they do to the game must be very great, owing to the quantity of food which they require. When caught in a trap, they fly without hesitation at any person who approaches them, not waiting to be assailed. I have heard many stories of their attacking and severely wounding a man, when their escape has been cut off. Indeed, a wild cat once flew at me in the most determined manner. I was fishing at a river in Sutherland, and in passing from one pool to another had to climb over some rock and broken kind of ground. In doing so, I sank through some rotten heather and moss up to my knees, almost upon a wild cat, who was concealed under iv WILD CATS 45 it. I was quite as much startled as the animal herself could be, when I saw the wild-looking beast so unexpectedly rush out from between my feet, with every hair on her body standing on end, making her look twice as large as she really was. I had three small Skye terriers with me, who immediately gave chase, and pursued her till she took refuge in a corner of the rocks, where, perched in a kind of recess out of reach of her enemies, she stood with her hair bristled out, and spitting and growling like a common cat. Having no weapon with me, I laid down my rod, cut a good-sized stick, and proceeded to dislodge her. As soon as I was within six or seven feet of the place, she sprang straight at my face over the dogs' heads. Had I not struck her in mid-air as she leaped at me, I should probably have got some severe wound. As it was, she fell with her back half broken amongst the dogs, who, with my assist- ance, despatched her. I never saw an animal fight so desper- ately, or one which was so difficult to kill. If a tame cat has nine lives, a wild cat must have a dozen. Sometimes one of these animals takes up its residence at no great distance from a house, and entering the hen- houses and outbuildings, carries off fowls or even lambs in the most audacious manner. Like other vermin, the wild cat haunts the shores of the lakes and rivers, and it is there- fore easy to know where to lay a trap for them. Having caught and killed one of the colony, the rest of them are sure to be taken if the body of their slain relative is left in some place not far from their usual hunting-ground, and sur- rounded with traps, as every wild cat who passes within a con- siderable distance of the place will to a certainty come to it. The same plan may be adopted successfully in trapping foxes, who also are sure to visit the dead body of any other fox which they scent during their nightly walk. There is no animal more destructive than a common house-cat, when she takes to hunting in the woods. In this case they should always be destroyed, as when once they have learned to prefer hares and rabbits to rats and mice,_ they are sure to hunt the larger animals only. I believe, however, that by cropping their ears close to the head, cats may be kept from hunting, as they cannot bear the dew or rain to enter these sensitive organs. 46 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. Tame cats who have once taken to the woods soon get shy and wild, and then produce their young in rabbit-holes, decayed trees, and other quiet places ; thus laying the founda- tion of a half-wild race. It is worthy of notice, that whatever colour the parents of these semi-wild cats may have been, those bred out of them are almost invariably of the beautiful brindled grey colour, as the wild cats. A shepherd, whose cat had come to an untimely end- by trap or gun, I forget which in lamenting her death to me, said it was a great pity so valuable an animal should be killed, as she brought him every day in the year either a grouse, a young hare, or some other head of game. Another man told me that his cat brought to the house during the whole winter a woodcock or a snipe almost every night, showing a propensity for hunting in the swamps and wet places near which the cottage was situated, and where these birds were in the habit of feeding during the night. A favourite cat of my own once took to bringing home rabbits and hares, but never winged game. Though constantly caught in traps,. she could never be cured of her hunting propensities. When caught in an iron trap, instead of springing about and struggling, and by this means breaking or injuring her legs, she used to sit quietly down and wait to be let out. There is a cat at the farm now, who is caught at least twice a week, but from adopting the same plan of waiting quietly and patiently to be liberated, she seldom gets her foot much hurt. The animal that requires the greatest care in trapping is the fox. If the trap is too smooth, he slips his foot out ; if too sharp, he cuts off his foot, and escapes, leaving it behind him. I consider the best manner of having fox-traps made is to get them without teeth, but with about three spikes of an inch in length on each side of the trap ; these entering the animal's leg without cutting it, hold him firmly and securely. The surest way, however, of destroying foxes (I am speaking of course of foxes of the Highlands, where no hounds are kept) is by poison. But then the rabbit or bait in which the poison is laid should not be touched by the hand, so suspicious is this animal of the slightest taint of man. The most artistic way is to catch a rabbit or crow in a trap, and having killed it with a stick, a small slit should iv POISONING VERMIN 47 be cut in the head, without however touching the animal with the hand ; into this hole three or four grains of the poison called strychnia should be dropped. So powerful is this poison, that a fox having eaten the above quantity seldom goes thirty yards before he dies. Strychnia is the concentrated part of nux vomica. Though frequently much adulterated, it can generally be obtained of sufficient strength from any respectable druggist. The strychnia is, I believe, mixed with a little alkali, to prevent its power being destroyed by exposure to the air. In poisoning crows with it, a very small quantity is sufficient, and it should be put into a slit in the skin or the eye of a dead animal. Before a carrion crow has taken three or four pecks at the poisoned carrion he falls backwards per- fectly dead. Weasels, stoats, and all vermin are destroyed by it with equal ease. The drug having no smell, these animals are not shy of eating a dead rabbit or bird on which it has been placed. Foxes and large vermin always commence at the head of their prey, while for smaller vermin and birds a hole should be cut in the skin to receive the poison, as they generally begin their operations whenever they see an opening where the flesh is exposed to view. It is needless to give a warning against using this powerful drug rashly, as no man in his senses would place it anywhere but in the most secure situations. It is worth remembering that foxes, carrion crows, and many other de- structive animals will eat a dead rat, whereas no dog will do so. By poisoning the dead bodies of this animal, there- fore, no risk is run of destroying your dogs. An equally good way of applying strychnia is in the body of a wild duck or a wood-pigeon. Many a fox, whose worldly experi- ence nearly ensures him safety from trap or gin, will fall a victim to this poison ; for so small a quantity is necessary, and so scentless is it, that a sufficient dose is swallowed before the animal discovers its presence in anything which he is eating. From the extreme rapidity with which it acts, destroying life almost instantaneously, it is perhaps as merciful a way of putting an end to noxious and troublesome animals as can be devised, and no method can be more certain. I have always been of opinion that nine keepers out of ten who carry guns are of but little use in destroying vermin. The grand desideratum 48 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. in preserving game is, that the animals should be left in perfect quiet. A man walking about with a gun in his hand, shooting at magpies and crows, does nearly as much mischief to the preserves as if he shot at the game itself. A quiet intelligent trapper does more good in killing vermin than a dozen men with guns. The former sees a pair of crows, 1 or a stoat ; if he is well skilled in his profession, the creatures are dead by the next day, having been caught without noise and without disturbing a single head of those animals which are required to be kept in peace and quiet. The shooting keeper in making his way through woods and coverts to get shots at vermin, often fails in killing it, but is sure to disturb and molest the game, driving it here and there, and exposing it to the view and attacks of hawks and poachers. I have always a far better opinion of the usefulness of a keeper when I see him with a number of traps on his shoulder, than when he carries his gun always with him. It is no bad amusement occasionally to accompany an intelligent and experienced trapper on his rounds, and see his plans to deceive and entice the fox and the otter, the hawk or the raven. In catching all these animals, the spot to be selected for trapping should not be near their abodes or nests, but in that part of the outskirts of the covers where they wander during the night-time in pursuit of prey. Almost every kind of vermin hunts in the open country and fields, wherever they may lie concealed during the day : for knowing that rabbits, hares, and the other animals which form their principal food, resort to the pastures, the corn-fields, or the waterside to feed during the night ; to these same places do their hungry enemies follow them. Hawks and crows, too, who feed in the daytime, are 1 C. comix, the hooded crow, feeds on almost everything and even kills young lambs, first picking out their eyes. Eats grain. I have killed this bird of every variety and shade of grey and black, sometimes quite black, at other times marked as described fin histories of birds], and in every intermediate variety. There appears to be no internal difference between the hooded crow and the common carrion crow of the south ; the hooded crow being a northern bird. C. St. J. C. frugilegus (rook) eats eggs. C. St. J. The hooded crow is the most numerous of all the vermin in the north of Scotland with which a keeper has to contend. Ravens too maintain themselves in fair numbers in the northern mountainous districts owing to their nests being so difficult of access. But the black-backed gulls are believed by Mr. J. Smith of Assynt to destroy as many eggs of game as do the hooded crows. IV HOW VERMIN HUNT 49 perfectly aware that they have a better chance of seeing and catching their prey in the open country than in the woods and covers. Besides which, a hungry fox or hawk, hunting for game, is less on his guard than when prowling quietly and cautiously through the woods. THE RIGHT SORT OF GAMEKEEPER AFFRAY WITH POACHERS CHAPTER V Poaching in the Highlands Donald Poachers and Keepers Bivouac in Snow Connivance of Shepherds Deer killed Catching a Keeper Poaching in the Forests Shooting Deer by Moonlight Ancient Poachers. I HAD a visit last week from a Highland poacher of some notoriety in his way. He is the possessor of a brace of the finest deer-hounds in Scotland, and he came down from his mountain home to show them to me, as I wanted some for a friend. The man himself is an old acquaintance of mine, as I had fallen in with him more than once in the course of my rambles. A finer specimen of the genus Homo than Ronald I never saw. As he passes through the streets of a country- town, the men give him plenty of walking room ; while not a girl in the street but stops to look after him, and says to her companions " Eh, but yon's a bonnie lad." And indeed Ronald is a " bonnie lad " about twenty-six years of age his height more than six feet, and with limbs somewhat between those of a Hercules and an Apollo he steps along the street with the CHAP, v POACHING IN THE HIGHLANDS 51 good-natured, self-satisfied swagger of a man who knows all the women are admiring him. He is dressed in a plain grey kilt and jacket, with an otter-skin purse and a low skull-cap with a long peak, from below which his quick eye seems to take in at a glance everything which is passing around him. A man whose life is spent much in hunting and pursuit of wild animals, acquires unconsciously a peculiar restless and quick expression of eye, appearing to be always in search of something. When Ronald doffs his cap, and shows his handsome hair and short curling beard, which covers all the lower part of his face, and which he seems to be something of a dandy about, I do not know a finer-looking fellow amongst all my acquaintance and his occupation, which affords him constant exercise without hard labour, gives him a degree of strength and activity seldom equalled. As he walked into my room, followed by his two magnificent dogs, he would have made a subject worthy of Landseer in his best moments and it would have been a picture which many a fair damsel of high, as well as low degree, would have looked upon with pleasure. Excepting when excited, he is the most quiet, good-natured fellow in the world ; but I have heard some stories of his exploits, in defence of his liberty, when assailed by keepers, which proved his immense strength, though he has always used it most good-naturedly. One feat of his is worth repeating. He was surprised by five men in a shealing, where he had retired to rest after some days' shooting in a remote part of the Highlands. Ronald had a young lad with him, who could only look on, in consequence of having injured one of his hands. Ronald was awoke from his sleep in the wooden recess of the shealing (which is called a bed), by the five men coming in, and saying that they had tracked him there, that he was caught at last, and must come along with them. " 'Deed, lads," said Ronald, without rising, " but I have had a long travel to-day, and if I am to go, you must just carry me." " Sit quiet, Sandy," he added to his young companion. " They'll no fash us, I'm thinking." The men, rather surprised at such cool language from only one man with nobody to assist him but a boy, repeated their order for him to get up and go with them ; but receiving no satisfactory answer, two of them went to his bed to pull him out. " So I just pit them under me " (said 5 2 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. Ronald in describing it), " and kept them down with one knee. A third chiel then came up, with a bit painted wand, and told me that he was a constable, but I could na help laughing at the man, he looked so frightened like ; and I said to him, ' John Cameron, my man, you'd be better employed making shoes at home than coming here to disturb a quiet lad like me, who only wants to rest himself: and then I said to the rest of them, still keeping the twa chiels under my knee, 'Ye are all wrong, lads; I'm no doing anything against the law ; I am just resting myself here, and rest myself I will : and you have no right to come here to disturb me ; so you'd best just mak off at once.' They had not caught me shooting, sir," he added, " and I was sure that no justice would allow of their seizing me like an outlaw. Besides which, I had tlie licence with me, though I didn't want to have to show it to them, as I was a stranger there, and I didn't wish them to know my name. Weel, we went on in this way, till at last the laird's keeper, who I knew well enough, though he didn't know me, whispered to the rest, and all three made a push at me, while the chiels below me tried to get up too. The keeper was the only one with any pluck amongst them, and he sprang on my neck, and as he was a clever-like lad, I began to get sore pressed. Just then, however, I lifted up my left hand, and pulled one of the sticks that served for rafters, out of the roof above me, and my blood was getting quite mad like, and the Lord only knows what would have happened if they hadn't all been a bit frightened at seeing me get the stick, and when part of the roof came falling on them, and so they all left me and went to the other end of the shealing. The keeper was but ill pleased though as for the bit constable body, his painted stick came into my hand somehow, and he never got it again ! One of the lads below my knee got hurt in this scuffle too, indeed one of his ribs was broken, so I helped to lift him up, and put him on the bed. The others threatened me a great deal, but did na like the looks of the bit constable's staff I had in my hand. At last, when they found that they could do nothing, they begged me, in the Lord's name, to leave the shealing and gang my way in peace. But I did na like this, as it was six hours at least to the next bothy where I could get a good rest, so I just told them to go themselves and as they did na seem v AFFRAY WITH POACHERS 53 in a hurry to do so, I went at them with my staff, but they did na bide my coming, and were all tumbling out of the door in a heap, before I was near them : I could na help laughing to see them. It was coming on a wild night, and the poor fellow in the bed seemed vera bad, so I called to them and told them they might just come back and sleep in the shealing if they would leave me in peace and after a little talk they all came in, and I laid down in my plaid at one end of the bothy, leaving them the other. I made the lad who was with me watch part of the night to see they didn't get at me when I was asleep, though I didn't want him to join in helping me, as they knew his name, and it might have got him into trouble. In the morning I made my breakfast with some meal I had with me, and gave them the lave of it. They would have been right pleased to have got me with them, but as they could na do it, like wise chiels, they didn't try so I wished them a good day, and took the road. I had my gun and four brace of grouse, which they looked at very hard indeed, but I did not let them lay hands on anything. When I had just got a few hundred yards away, I missed my shot belt, so I went back and found that the keeper had it, and would not give it up. ' You'll be giving me my property, lad, I'm thinking,' I said to him ; but he was just mad like with rage, and said that he would not let me have it. However, I took him by the coat and shook him a bit, and he soon gave it me, but he could na keep his hands off, and as I turned away, he struck me a sair blow with a stick on my back ; so I turned to him, and 'deed I was near beating him weel, but after all I thocht that the poor lad was only doing his duty, so I only gave him a lift into the burn, taking care not to hurt him ; but he got a grand ducking and, Lord ! how he did swear. I was thinking, as I travelled over the hills that day, it was lucky that these twa dogs were not with me, for there would have been wild work in the shealing. Bran there canna bide a scuffle but what he must join in it, and the other dog would go to help him ; and the Lord pity the man they took hold of he would be in a bad way before I could get this one off his throat wouldn't he, poor dog ? " and Bran looked up in Ronald's face with such a half leer, half snake-like expression, that I thought to myself, that I would about as soon encounter a tiger as such a dog, if his blood was well roused. 54 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. The life of a Highland poacher is a far different one from that of an Englishman following the same profession. Instead of a sneaking night-walking ruffian, a mixture of cowardice and ferocity, as most English poachers are, and ready to commit any crime that he hopes to perpetrate with impunity, the High- lander is a bold fearless fellow, shooting openly by daylight, taking his sport in the same manner as the Laird, or the Sassenach who rents the ground. He never snares or wires game, but depends on his dog and gun. Hardy and active as the deer of the mountain, in company with two or three com- rades of the same stamp as himself, he sleeps in the heather wrapped in his plaid, regardless of frost or snow, and com- mences his work at daybreak. 1 When a party of them sleep out on the hill side, their manner of arranging their couch is as follows : If snow is on the ground, they first scrape it off a small space ; they then all collect a quantity of the driest heather they can find. The next step is for all the party excepting one to lie down close to each other, with room between one couple for the remaining man to get into the rank when his duty is done ; which is, to lay all the plaids on the top of his companions, and on the plaids a quantity of long heather ; when he has sufficiently thatched them in, he creeps into the vacant place, and they are made up for the night. The coldest frost has no effect on them when bivouacking in this manner. Their guns are laid dry between them, and their dogs share their masters' couch. With the earliest grouse -crow they rise and commence operations. Their breakfast consists of meal and water. They generally take a small bag of meal with them ; but it is seldom that there is not some good-natured shepherd living near their day's beat, who, notwithstanding that he receives pay for keep- ing off or informing against all poachers, is ready to give them milk and anything else his bothy affords. If the shepherd has a peculiarly tender conscience, he vacates the hut himself on 1 Times have changed since Mr. St. John's day, and the romantic sporting poacher of the type of Ronald is a thing of the past. The organisation of an efficient police force and more careful watching have rendered his life an impossible one. But of poaching generally there is no decrease, especially in the neighbourhood of manufacturing towns and by operatives out of work. With increase of game preserving, and of facilities of locomotion and transport, has come an increase of the more unsportsmanlike class of poachers. The Ground Game Act, moreover, and the large number of itinerant sur- reptitious game dealers, have led to an increased amount of illicit destruction of game by farmers and farm sen-ants. v POACHERS AND KEEPERS 55 seeing them approach, leaving his wife to provide for the guests. He then, if accused of harbouring and assisting poachers, can say in excuse, " 'Deed, your honour, what could a puir woman do against four or five wild Hieland lads with guns in their hands ? " In fact, the shepherds have a natural fellow-feeling with the poachers, and, both from policy and inclination, give them any assistance they want, or leave their wives and children to do so ; and many a side of red deer or bag of grouse they get for this breach of promise to their masters. In the winter season a poacher calls on the shepherd, and says, " Sandy, lad, if you look up the glen there, you'll see a small cairn of stones newly put up ; just travel twenty paces east from that, and you'll find a bit venison to yoursel' " some unlucky deer having fallen to the gun of one of the poaching fraternity. This sort of argument, as well as the fear of " getting a bad name," is too strong for the honesty of most of the shepherds, who are errone- ously supposed to watch the game, and to keep off trespassers. The keepers themselves in the Highlands, as long as the poachers do not interfere too much with their master's sport, so as to make it imperative on them to interfere, are rather anxious to avoid a collision with these " Hieland lads." For, although they never ill-use the keepers in the savage manner that English poachers so frequently do, I have known instances of keepers, who (although they were too smart gentlemen to carry their master's game) have been taken prisoners by poachers on the hill, and obliged to accompany them over their master's ground, and carry the game killed on it all day. They have then either been sent home, or, if troublesome, the poachers have tied them hand and foot, and left them on some marked spot of the muir, sending a boy or shepherd to release them some hours afterwards. Going in large bodies on well-preserved ground, these men defy the keepers, and shoot in spite of them. If pursued by a party stronger than themselves, they halt occasionally, and fire bullets either over the heads of their pursuers or into the ground near them, of course taking care not to hurt them. The keepers go home, protesting that they have been fired upon and nearly killed, while the Highlanders pursue their sport. The grand object of the poachers being to keep out of the fangs of the law, they never uselessly run the risk of being identified, and although they frequently have licences, they always avoid 56 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. showing them if possible, in order that their names may not be known. If they shoot on ground where the watchers know them, they take great care to avoid being seen. If they think there is any likelihood of a prosecution occurring, they betake themselves to a different part of the country till the storm is blown over. In some of the wide mountain districts, a band of poachers can shoot the whole season without being caught, and I fancy that many of the keepers, and even their masters, rather wish to shut their eyes to the trespassing of these gangs as long as they keep to certain districts, and do not interfere with those parts of the grouse-ground which are the most carefully pre- served. Some proprietors or lessees of shooting-grounds make a kind of half-compromise with the poachers, by allowing them to kill grouse as long as they do not touch the deer ; others, who are grouse-shooters, let them kill the deer to save their birds. I have known an instance where a prosecution was stopped by the aggrieved party being quietly made to understand, that if it was carried on, " a score of lads from the hills would shoot over his ground for the rest of the season." In the eastern part of the Highlands and on the hills adjoin- ing the Highland roads, the grand harvest of the poachers arises from grouse, which are shipped by the steamers, and sent by the coaches southwards, in numbers that are almost incred- ible. Before the I2th of August, hundreds of grouse are shipped, to be ready in London on the first day that they become legal food for her Majesty's subjects. In these districts the poachers kill the deer only for their amusement, or to repay the obliging blindness and silence of shepherds and others. Many a fine stag is either shot or killed by dogs during the winter season ; the proprietor, or person who rents the forest, supposing that his paying half-a-dozen watchers and foresters ensures the safety of his deer. " Indeed, his lordship has seven foresters/' said a Highlander to me ; " but they are mostly old men, and not that fit for catching the likes of me ; besides which, if we leave the forest quiet during the time his lordship's down, they are not that over hard on us ; nor are we sair on their deer either, for they are all ceevil enough, except the head forester, who is an v POACHERS KILLING DEER 57 Englishman, and we wouldna wish to get them to lose their bread by being turned away on our account. So it's not often we trouble the forest, unless, maybe, we have a young dog to try, and we canna get a run at a deer on the marches of the ground, where it would harm no one." " And how do you manage not to be caught ? " was my question. " Why, we sleep at some shepherd's house or shealing ; and if there is not one convenient, we lay out somewhere on the ground, going to our sleeping-place after nightfall ; and so we are ready to get at the deer by daylight ; and maybe we have killed one and carried him off before the foresters have found out that we are out." It is not so easy, however, for the poachers to kill deer undiscovered with dogs, as it is with the gun ; for in the event of the greyhounds getting in chase of a young stag or a hind, they may be led away to a great distance, and in the course of the run move half the deer in the forest ; and there is no surer sign of mischief being afloat than seeing the deer passing over the hills in a startled manner. No man, accustomed to them, can mistake this sign of an enemy having disturbed them ; and one can judge pretty well the direction the alarm comes from by taking notice of the quarter in which the wind is, and from which part of the mountain the deer are moving. With a rifle, however, in the hand of a good shot, the business is soon over, without frightening the rest of the herd a tenth part so much, or making them change their quarters to such a distance ; and even if the shot is heard by the keepers, which is a great chance, it is not easy to judge exactly from which direction it comes amongst the numerous corries and glens which confuse and mislead the listener. Ronald told me that one day his dogs brought a fine stag to bay, in a burn close to the house of the forester on the ground where he was poaching : " The forester luckily was no at hame, sir ; but the dogs made an awful noise, yoivling at the stag ; and a bit lassie came out and tried to stone them off the beast ; so I was feared they might turn on her, and I just stepped down from where I was looking at them, and putting my handkerchief over my face, that the lassie mightn't ken me, took the dogs away, though it was a sair pity, as it was a fine 5 8 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. beast ; and one of the dogs was quite young at the time, and it would have been a grand chance for blooding him." Many a deer is killed during the bright moonlight nights. The poacher in this case finds out some grassy burn or spot of ground, where the deer are in the habit of feeding. Within shot of this, and with his gun loaded with three pistol-balls, or a bullet and two slugs, he lies ensconced, taking care to be well concealed before the time that the deer come to feed, and keep- ing to leeward of the direction in \vhich they \vill probably arrive. Many an hour he may pass in his lonely hiding-place, listening to every cry and sound of the different animals that are abroad during the night-time, and peering out anxiously to see if he can distinguish the object of his vigil approaching him. Perhaps, although he may hear the deer belling or clashing their horns together in the distance, none come within reach of his gun during the whole night ; and the call of the grouse- cock just before daybreak, as he collects his family from their roosting-places in the heather, warns him that it is time to leave his ambuscade, and betake himself home, chilled and dispirited. It often, however, happens that he hears the tramp of the deer as they descend from the more barren heights to feed on the grass and rushes near his place of concealment. On they come, till he can actually hear their breathing as they crop the herbage ; and can frequently distinguish their ghostlike forms as they pass to and fro, sometimes grazing, and sometimes butting at each other in fancied security. His own heart beats so that he almost fears the deer will hear him. Often his finger is on the trigger ; but he still refrains, as no deer has come into full view which he thinks worth killing. At last a movement amongst the herd apprises him that the master stag is probably approaching. And suddenly the gaunt form of the animal appears in strong relief between him and the sky, stand- ing on some rising bit of ground, within thirty yards of the muzzle of his gun. The next instant the loud report is echoing and rolling along the mountain side, till it gradually dies away in the distance. The stag, on receiving the shot, utters a single groan, partly of affright and partly of pain, and drops to the ground, where he lies plunging and floundering, but unable to rise from having received three good-sized pistol-balls in his shoulder. The rest of the herd, frightened by the report and v ANCIENT POACHERS 59 the flash of the gun, dart off at first in all directions ; but soon collecting together, they can be heard in the still night, for some time after they are lost to view, going up the hill side at a steady gallop. The poacher rushes up to the stag, who is now nearly motionless, only showing symptoms of life by his loud, deep breathing, and an occasional quiver of his limbs, as his life is oozing rapidly away in streams of blood. The skene dhu, plunged into the root of his neck, and reaching to his heart, soon ends his struggles ; and before the next morning the carcass is carried off and cut up. Many a noble stag falls in this way. Near the Caledonian Canal, which affords great facility of carriage, the Lochaber poachers kill a considerable number during the season, sending them to Edinburgh, Glasgow, or other large towns, where they have some confidential friend to receive and sell them. In Edinburgh, there are numbers of men who work as porters, etc., during the winter, and poach in the Highlands during the autumn. When in town, these men are useful to their friends on the hills in disposing of their game, which is all killed for the purpose of being sent away, and not for consumption in the country. Many poachers of the class I have here described are of respectable origin, and are well enough educated. When my aforesaid acquaintance Ronald called on me, he had a neat kind of wallet with his dry hose, a pair of rather smart worsted- worked slippers (he did not seem disposed to tell me what fair hands had worked them), and clean, linen, etc. He wore also a small French gold watch, which had also been given him. Several of the Highlanders who have lived in this way emigrate to Canada, and generally do well ; others get places as foresters and keepers, making the best and most faithful servants. Their old allies seldom annoy them when they take to this profession, as there is a great deal of good feeling amongst them, and a sense of right, which prevents their thinking the worse of their quondam comrade because he does his duty in his new line of life. There is another class of hill poacher the old, half worn- out Highlander, who has lived and shot on the mountain before the times of letting shooting-grounds and strict preserv- ing had come in. These old men, with their long single- barrelled gun, kill many a deer and grouse, though not in a 60 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. wholesale manner, hunting more from ancient habit and for their own use than for the market. I have met some quaint old fellows of this description, who make up by cunning and knowledge of the ground for want of strength and activity. I made acquaintance with an old soldier, who after some years' service had returned to his native mountains, and to his former habits of poaching and wandering about in search of deer. He lived in the midst of plenty of them too, in a far-off and very lonely part of Scotland, where the keepers of the property seldom came. When they did so, I believe they frequently took the old man out with them to assist in killing a stag for their master. At other times he wandered through the moun- tains with a single-barrelled gun, killing what deer he wanted for his own use, but never selling them. I never in my life saw a better shot with a ball : I have seen him constantly kill grouse and plovers on the ground. His occupation, I fear, is at last gone, owing to changes in the ownership and the letting of the shooting, for the last time I heard of him he was leading an honest life as cattle-keeper. When this man killed a deer far from home, he used to go to the nearest shepherd's shealing, catch the horse, which was sure to be found feeding near at hand, and make use of it to carry home the deer. This done, he turned the horse's head home, and let it loose, and as all Highland ponies have the bump of locality strongly developed, it was sure to find its way home. I have known one of these old poachers coolly ride his pony up the mountain from which he intended to take a deer, turn it loose, and proceed on his excursion. The pony, as cunning and accustomed to the work as his master, would graze quietly near the spot where he was left, till his services were required to take home the booty at night. The old man never went to the hill till he had made sure of the whereabouts of the forester, by which means he always escaped detection. The principal object of pursuit of the Highland poacher, next to grouse and deer, are ptarmigan, as these birds always bring a high price, and by making choice of good weather and knowing where to find the birds, a man can generally make up a bag that repays him for his day's labour, as well as for his powder and shot. Being sportsmen by nature, as well as poachers, they enjoy the wild variety of a day's ptarmigan- POACHERS IN WINTER 61 shooting as much as the more legal shooter does. In winter, when a fresh fall of snow has taken place, a good load of white hares is easily obtained, as this animal is found in very great numbers on some mountains, since the destruction of vermin on so large a scale has taken place. What with the sale of these different kinds of game, and a tolerable sum made by breaking dogs, a number of young men in the Highlands make a very good income during the shooting-season, which enables them to live in idleness the rest of the year, and often affords them the means of emigrating to America, where they settle quietly down and become extensive and steady farmers. BIVOUAC ON THE HILLS UNDER THE HEATHER SPEARING SALMON OR BURNING THE WATER CHAPTER VI Salmon -fishing Salmon ascending Fords Fishers Cmives Right of Fishing Anecdote Salmon -leaps History of the Salmon Spearing Salmon River Poaching Angling Fly-making Eels Lampreys. DURING the spring and summer it is an amusing sight to watch the salmon making their way up the river. Every high tide brings up a number of these fish, whose whole object seems to be to ascend the stream. At the shallow fords, where the river spreading over a wide surface has but a small depth of water, they are frequently obliged to swim, or rather wade (if such an expression can be used), for perhaps twenty yards in water of two inches in depth, which leaves more than half the fish exposed to view. On they go, however, scrambling up the fords, and making the water fly to the right and left, like ducks at play. When the fish are numerous, I sometimes see a dozen or more at once. They might be killed in these places by spears, or even a stick, and indeed many a salmon does CHAP, vi NETTING SALMON 63 come to his death in this way. The fishermen (when the river is low) save a great deal of useless fatigue, and of injury to their nets, by working in some pool immediately above a shallow place, where they station one of their number, who watches for the fish ascending, giving a signal to his companions whenever he sees one. They then immediately put out their nets, and are nearly sure to catch the salmon. In this way very few of the fish can escape as long as the water is low, but when a slight flood comes they can get up unperceived. It is as easy to see them in the night-time as in the day, the water glancing and shining as they struggle up. Indeed on the darkest night the noise they make is easily heard, and dis- tinguished by the accustomed ear of the fishermen. There is something wild and interesting in listening during the night to the shout of the man stationed to watch, when he sees fish, and the sound of the oars and boat immediately after- wards, though the object of pursuit is but a fish after all. Sometimes a silent otter suddenly shows himself on the ford, having slipped quietly and unobserved through the deeper parts of the stream till he is obliged to wade, not having water enough to cover him. His appearance is the signal of a general outcry, and if he returns to the deep water where the net is, the fishermen occasionally manage to entangle him, and dragging him to shore, soon despatch him. He is one of their worst enemies. More often, however, he slips noiselessly to the side of the river, and half ensconced behind some broken bank, remains quiet and concealed till the danger is past, and then glides away unperceived. There is no animal more difficult to get the advantage of than the otter, as long as he is on ground that he knows. The fish which escape the nets, and those which go up during floods and on Sundays, on which day they are allowed to have a free passage, seldom stop until they get to the deep quiet pools amongst the rocks some four or five miles up the water, where they rest till fresh water and oppor- tunity enable them to continue their upward progress. Neither sea-trout nor salmon ever seem happy excepting when making their way up a stream. It is wonderful, too, against what difficulties, in the shape of falls and rapids, they will ascend a river. In the Findhorn, owing to the impetuosity of the stream, the frequent and sudden floods it is subject to, and the immense 64 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. quantity of shingle and gravel, which is always shifting its place, and changing the course of the lower part of the water, there are no cruives made use of. They would probably be destroyed as fast as they were built. In the Spey, however, and many other rivers, large cruives are built, which quite pre- vent the ascent of the fish, excepting on Sundays and on floods. To describe a cruive minutely would be tedious. It is, however, merely a kind of dam built across the river, with openings here and there, allowing the water to pass through in a strong stream, and through which the fish ascend and get into a kind of wooden cage, out of which they cannot find their way again, the entrance being made after the fashion of a wire mouse-trap, affording an easier ingress than egress. Much do the anglers on the upper part of the Spey pray for a furious flood, or spate, as it is called, which may break down these barriers, and enable the salmon to ascend to the higher pools before the fishermen can repair the damage done. The right of fishing in many of the Scotch rivers is vested in a very singular manner ; as, for instance, in the Findhorn, where the proprietor of many miles of land along the river banks has no right to throw a line in the water, but is obliged to pay a rent for fishing on his own ground. Indeed, this kind of alienation of the right of fishing from the person who would seem to be the natural proprietor of it is very common. I remember an anecdote told me by an old Highlander as to the cause of the fishing in a particular river in Sutherland being out of the hands of the proprietor of the land on its banks. The story is as follows : The laird of the property higher up on the water was also the possessor of a small island in the river. He was a deep, long-headed fellow, and grudged his neighbour the profit he made out of the fishing just below him, the water on the upper part not being so good. He therefore commenced building a fort on the island, and falling in with his neighbour, asked him in an off- hand, way to give him, merely, he said, for the convenience of his workmen, a right of fishing the whole river until his building was completed, salmon in those days being used as a means of feeding the numerous retainers and servants who lived upon and followed every laird and chieftain. Indeed, but a few years back it was often made a stipulation by servants on being hired by a vi SALMON LEAPING 65 Highland master that they should not be fed on salmon above a certain number of days in the week. But to continue my story. The permission was granted ; and, to save all dispute about the matter, even a legal written document was given over to the wily laird, granting him exclusive right of fishing and netting the river, " until his house was finished." The building was immediately stopped, and the right of fishing still belongs to the proprietor of the little islet, who will probably never finish his building, as doing so would put an end to his valuable rights on the river. So runs the tale, which does more credit to the acuteness than to the honesty of the inventor of the ruse. The jumping of the salmon up a fall is a curious and beautiful sight, and the height they leap, and the perseverance which they show in returning again and again to the charge, after making vain efforts to surmount the fall, are quite wonderful. Often on a summer evening, when the river is full of fish, all eager to make their way up, have I watched them for hours together, as they sprang in rapid succession, looking like pieces of silver as they dashed up the falls with rapid leaps. The fish appear to bend their head to their tail, and then to fling themselves forward and upwards, much as a bit of whalebone whose two ends are pinched together springs forward on being released. I have often watched them leaping, and this has always seemed the way in which they accomplish their extra- ordinary task. Both salmon and sea- trout, soon after they enter the fresh water, from the sea, make wonderful leaps into the air, shooting perpendicularly upwards, to the height of some feet, with a quivering motion, which is often quite audible. This is most likely to get rid of a kind of parasitical insect which adheres to them when they first leave the sea. The fishermen call this creature the sea-louse : it appears to cause a great deal of irritation to the fish. It is a sure sign that the salmon is in good condition, and fresh from the sea, when these insects are found adhering to him. Though the natural history of the salmon is daily being searched into, and curious facts connected with it are constantly ascertained, I fancy that there is much still to be learnt on the subject, as some of the statements advanced seem so much at variance with my own frequent though unscientific observations, that I cannot give in to all that is asserted. But as I have F 66 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. not opportunities of proving many points, I will leave the whole subject in the abler hands of those who have already written on it, and whose accounts, though they may err here and there, are probably in the main correct. As long as the salmon are in the river water they seem to lose condition, and become lean and dark coloured. By the time that they have ascended to within a dozen miles or so of the source of the river they are scarcely fit to eat. Nevertheless vast numbers are killed by poachers and shepherds in the autumn, even after the legal season is over. I once fell in with a band of Highlanders, who were employed busily in the amusing but illegal pursuit of spearing salmon by torchlight. And a most exciting and interesting proceeding it was. The night was calm and dark. The steep and broken rocks were illuminated in the most brilliant manner by fifteen or sixteen torches, which were carried by as many active Highlanders, and glanced merrily on the water, throwing the most fantastic light and shade on all around as they moved about. Sometimes one of them would remain motionless for a few moments, as its bearer waited in the expectation that some fish which had been started by his companions would come within reach of his spear, as he stood with it ready poised, and his eager counten- ance lighted up by his torch as he bent over the water. Then would come loud shouts and a confused hurrying to and fro, as some great fish darted amongst the men, and loud and merry peals of laughter when some unlucky fellow darting at a fish in too deep water, missed his balance, and fell headlong into the pool. Every now and then a salmon would be seen hoisted into the air, and quivering on an uplifted spear. The fish, as soon as caught, was carried ashore, where it was knocked on the head and taken charge of by some man older than the rest, who was deputed to this office. Thirty-seven salmon were killed that night ; and I must say that I entered into the fun, unmindful of its not being quite in accordance with my ideas of right and wrong ; and I enjoyed it probably as much as any of the wild lads who were engaged in it. There was not much English talked amongst the party, as they found more expressive words in Gaelic to vent their eagerness and im- patience. All was good humour, however ; and though they at first looked on me with some slight suspicion, yet when they saw that I enjoyed their torchlight fishing, and entered fully vi LEISTERING SALMON 67 into the spirit of it, they soon treated me with all consideration and as one of themselves. I happened to know one or two of the men ; and after it was over, and we were drying our drenched clothes in a neighbouring bothy, it occurred to me to think of the river bailiff's and watchers, several of whom I knew were employed on that part of the stream, and I asked where they were, that they did not interfere with the somewhat irregular proceeding in which we had all been engaged. " 'Deed ay, sir, there are no less than twelve bailies and offishers on the water here, but they are mostly douce-like lads, and don't interfere much with us, as we only come qnce or twice in the season. Besides which, they ken well that if they did they might get a wild ducking amongst us all, and they would na ken us again, as we all come from beyont the braes yonder. Not that we would wish to hurt the puir chiels," continued my informer, as he took off a glass of whisky, " as they would be but doing their duty. They would as lave, however, I am thinking, be taking a quiet dram at Sandy Roy's down yonder as getting a ducking in the river ; and they are wise enough not to run the risk of it." Not bad reasoning either, thought I ; nor can I wonder that the poor water-bailiffs would prefer a quiet bowl of toddy to a row with a party of wild Badenoch poachers, who, though good-natured^ enough on the whole, were determined to have their night's fun out in spite of all opposition. There are worse poachers, too, than these said Highlanders, who only come down now and then more for the amusement than the profit of the thing ; and whom it is generally better policy to keep friends with than to make enemies of. 1 The ponderous lexicographer, who describes a fishing-rod as a stick with a fool at one end, and a worm at the other, displays in this saying more wit than wisdom. Not that I quite go the whole length of my quaint and amiable old friend, Isaac Walton, who implies in every page of his paragon of a book, that the art of angling is the summum bonum of happi- ness, and that an angler must needs be the best of men. I do believe, however, that no determined angler can be naturally a bad or vicious man. No man who enters into the silent com- munings with Nature, whose beauties he must be constantly 1 For a delightful account of a "leistering" expedition on the Tweed in which Sir Walter Scott's old keeper Tom Purdie took part, we refer our readers to the last chapter of Mr. Scrope's well-known Days and Nights of Salmon Fishing. 68 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. surrounded by, and familiar with during his ramblings as an angler, can fail to be improved in mind and disposition during his solitary wanderings amongst the most lovely and romantic works of the creation, in the wild Highland glens and moun- tains through which the best streams take their course. I do not include in my term angler, the pond or punt fisher, how- ever well versed he may be in the arts of spitting worms and impaling frogs, so learnedly discussed by Isaac notwithstand- ing the kindliness and simplicity of heart so conspicuous in every line he writes. Angling, in my sense of the word, implies wandering with rod and creel in the wild solitudes, and tempt- ing (or endeavouring to do so) the fish from their clear water, with artificial fly or minnow. Nothing can be more unlike the " worm " described as forming one end of the thing called a fishing-rod, than the gay and gaudy collection of feathers and tinsel which form the attraction of a Findhorn fly. Let us look at the salmon-fly, which I have just finished, and which now lies on the table before me, ready for trial in some clear pool of the river. To begin : I tie with well-waxed silk a portion of silkworms' intestines on a highly-tempered and finished Limerick-made hook. Here are three different sub- stances brought into play already. I next begin at the tail of the fly : first come two turns of gold thread, then a tenth part of an inch of red floss-silk ; next comes the tail, consisting of a bright gold feather from the crest of the golden pheasant. The body is now to be made of, alternately, a stripe of green, a stripe of blue, and the remainder of orange-coloured floss-silk, with a double binding of gold thread and silver tinsel ; the legs are made of a black barn-door cock's hackle, taken from him, in winter, when the bird is in full plumage ; next to the wing comes a turn of grouse's feather, and two or three turns of the purple-black feather which is pendent on the breast of an old cock heron. Now for the wing, which is composed of a mixture of feathers from the mallard killed in this country ; from the teal drake, also a native ; from the turkey-cock ; the bustard, from India ; a stripe or two of green parrot ; a little of the tippet of the gold pheasant ; a thread or two from the peacock's tail ; a bit from the Argus pheasant, and from the tail of a common hen pheasant : all these mixed and blended together form an irresistible wing. Round the shoulder of the wing a turn of the blue and black feather off a jay's wing. For the SALMON-FLIES 69 head, a small portion of that substance called pig's wool, so mysterious to the uninitiated, pigs not being the usual animals from which wool is supposed to be derived ; then finished off with a few turns of black ostrich feather ; not forgetting that finish to the whole, two horns of red and blue macaw's feather. Now, all this makes a fly, either of the dragon or some other species, which no salmon who is in a taking mood (one can hardly suppose he swallows it out of hunger) can resist. See the gallant fish, as he rises suddenly up from the dark depths of the pool, poises himself for a moment, as the fly hovers before him, in the twirling eddy, then darts forward, seizes the gaudy bait, and retreats again, apparently well satisfied with his skill in fly-catching, till he suddenly finds himself pulled up, and held fast by the unexpected strength of the insect. I suspect that a salmon, after a quarter of an hour's struggle on a line, would scarcely call the fisherman at the other end " a fool," even if he took the fly to be some newly-discovered glittering worm. Skill in fly-fishing can only be acquired by practice, and no directions can make a good angler. And even when fairly hooked, a salmon is only to be held by a happy mixture of the suaviter in modo and fortiter in re, which keeps the line at a gentle but firm stretch, from which he cannot escape by dint of straightforward pulling to which the skilful fisher must gradually yield, to prevent too much strain on his slight line. Nor, on the other hand, ought the fish to be allowed, by the angler slackening the line, to get a sudden jerk at it, by means of a fresh rush, as few lines or hooks can stand this. In fishing for sea-trout, I always kill the largest fish, and the greatest number, by using small flies, though certainly too small hooks are apt to lead to disappointment, by not taking sufficient hold of this tender-skinned fish. As all rivers require different flies for sea-trout, no general rule can be given, but I never find myself unable to catch trout, if there are any in the water, and I use either a small palmer, red, black, or white, and if these do not succeed, I try a small fly with black or blue body, a turn or two of silver twist, no hackle round the body, but a little black hackle immediately under the wings, which latter consist of lark's or hen blackbird's feather, or that of some other bird of a similar pale grey colour. I have often been amused by being told gravely by some fishing-tackle maker in a country-town, when showing him one of these simple 70 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. flies, " Why, sir, that fly may do now and then, but it is not fit for this river, and I am afraid, sir, you will catch nothing with it." His own stock of flies, which he wants to sell, being all of one kind probably, which he has managed to convince himself and others are the only sort the fish in the neighbour- ing stream will rise at. I remember one day on the Findhorn when the fish would not rise at a fly, although they were leap- ing in all directions. I put on a small white fly and filled my basket, to the astonishment of two or three habitues of the river, who could catch nothing. Having watched me some time, and not being able to make out why I had such good sport, they begged to look at my fly. They scarcely believed their own eyes when I showed them my little white moth, which the sea-trout were rising at so greedily ; it being so unlike the flies which from habit and prejudice they had been always accustomed to use. I was much interested one day in May, in watching the thousands of small eels which were making their way up the river. It was some distance from the mouth, and where the stream, confined by a narrow rocky channel, ran with great strength. Nevertheless these little eels, which were about six inches long, and as large round as a quill, persevered in swim- ming against the stream. When they came to a fall, where they could not possibly ascend, they wriggled out of the water, and gliding along the rock close to the edge, where the stone was con- stantly wet from the splashing and spray of the fall, they made their way up till they got above the difficulty, and then again slipping into the water, they continued their course. For several hours there was a continued succession of these little fish going up in the same way ; and, for more than a week, the same thing was to be seen every day. The perseverance they displayed was very great, for frequently, although washed back several times, an eel would always continue its efforts till it managed to ascend. Towards winter they are said to descend the river again, in equal numbers. Trout and many birds feed constantly on these small eels, catching them with great ease in the shallows. One summer day I was amused by watching the singular proceedings of two lampreys 1 in a small ditch of clear running water near my house. They were about six inches in length, 1 The Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) ascends the Scottish rivers to breed about the end of June, and remains until August. T. Edward notes that it is a common fish in Banffshire, and Yarrell quotes a passage from Sir \V. Jardine which illustrates Mr. St. John's anecdote : "They are not furnished with the elongation of the jaw, afforded to LAMPREYS 71 and as large round as a pencil. The two little creatures were most busily and anxiously employed in making little triangular heaps of stones, using for the purpose irregularly-shaped bits of gravel about the size of a large pea. When they wished to move a larger stone, they helped each other in endeavouring to roll it into the desired situation : occasionally they both left off their labours and appeared to rest for a short time, and then to return to the work with fresh vigour. The object of their building I am not sufficiently learned in the natural history of the lamprey to divine ; but I conclude that their work had something to do with the placing of their spawn. I had, how- ever, a good opportunity of watching them, as the water was quite clear and shallow, and they were so intent upon what they were at, that they took no notice whatever of me. I had intended to examine the little heaps of stones which they had made, but going from home the next day put it out of my recollection, and I lost the opportunity. It seems, however, so singular a manoeuvre on the part of fish to build up regular little pyramids of gravel, bringing some of the stones from the distance of two feet against the current and rolling them to the place with evident difficulty, that the lampreys must have some good reason which induces them to take this trouble. It is a great pity that the habits of fish and animals living in water are so difficult to observe with any degree of exactness. most of our fresh-water fish, to form the receiving furrows at this important season ; but the want is supplied by the sucker-like mouth, by which they individually remove each stone. Their power is immense. Stones of a very large size are transported, and a large furrow is soon formed. The P. marinus remains, in a pair, on each spawning-place ; and, while there employed, retain themselves affixed by the mouth to a large stone" (History of British Fishes, \. p. 36). RAPIDS OX THE FINDHORX THE I.ONG-KARKD OWL CHAPTER VII Short-eared Owl: Habits of Long-eared Owl Tame Owl \VhiteOwl-Utilityof Owls Mice Rats : Destructiveness of Water Rats : Food of Killing Rats Ratcatchers. AMONGST the migratory birds that pass the winter in this country is the short-eared owl, 1 Strix bracJiyotus : it arrives in 1 The short-cared owl comes over in small flocks to this country, many being often seen together in a turnip-field, or other low cover on their first arrival. Some few, how- ever, remain to breed in this country, building on the ground in rough heather, etc. It hunts earlier in the evening than other owls. C. St. J. It is found in summer in North Europe ; eastwards it occurs throughout Siberia, wintering in the southern countries, Persia, Burmah, and South China. On the American continent it breeds in various parts of Canada and the United States, and in winter has lx:en found as far south as Chili and the Falkland Isles. Seebohm, Siberia in Europe, p. 1 1 8. CHAP, vii THE SHORT-EARED OWL 73 October, sometimes in flights of some number. I have heard from perfectly good authority of sixteen or seventeen of these birds having been found in one turnip-field on the east coast, evidently having just arrived. It is a long-winged bird, and more active in its manner of flight than most of the other owls, nor is it so completely nocturnal. I saw one of this kind hunt- ing a rushy field and regularly beating it for prey at mid-day. The owl was so intent on his pursuit that he flew straight in my direction and nearly close to me before he observed me. When he did so, he darted off with great quickness and with a most hawk-like flight, but too late to escape. I killed him (though it is against my usual rule to shoot at an owl) because he appeared to me to be of a different species from any with which I was acquainted. Before I shot him he had put up and made a dash at a snipe, but did not follow up his pursuit, probably perceiving that it would be useless. I have very frequently flushed this kind of owl in rushes, furze, and other low cover. When put up, instead of being distressed and confused by the light of the sun, he flies boldly and steadily away. Sometimes I have seen one, when put up, rise high in the air and fly straight away until I could no longer distinguish him. The owls that breed here are the long -eared owl, the tawny owl, and the barn-owl : the latter, though so common in England, is by far the rarest in this country. The long -eared owl l is a fine bold bird, and his bright yellow eye gives him a peculiarly handsome appearance : altogether he is of a lighter make and more active than the other owls; they are very common in the shady fir- woods. I often see this bird sitting on a branch close to the stem of the tree, and depending on the exact similitude of his colour to that of the bark, he sits motionless with his bright golden eye watching earnestly every movement I make. If he fancies himself observed, and likely to be molested, down he dashes, flies a hundred yards or so, and then suddenly pitches again. 1 This owl is common enough in the fir-woods. It generally takes possession of the deserted nest of the crow or some other large bird. When it has youug it hunts and destroys a great number of birds. C. St. J. The habits of pouting noticed in the text are common to this bird and the tawny owl. I have seen the latter on the top of a farm-house in the moonlight, puffing out its throat as it hooted. Virgil, no mean ornithologist, had probably noticed this habit Solaque culminibus ferali carmine bubo Snepe queri, et longas in fletum ducere voces. Aen. 4. 462. 74 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CIIAP. His long ears and bright eyes give him a most unbirdlike appearance as he sits watching one. As soon as evening comes on, the owl issues forth in full life and activity, and in the woods here may be seen and heard in all directions, sitting on the topmost branch of some leafless tree, generally a larch or ash (these two being his favourites), where he hoots incessantly for an hour together, swelling his throat out, and making the eccentric motions of a pouter pigeon. They breed in rocks, ivy, or in the deserted nest of a magpie. I do not know why, but I never could succeed in rearing one of these birds they have invariably died, without any apparent cause, before their first year was over. Not so with the tawny owl. 1 One of these birds has been in my kitchen- garden for three years. Though his wing is sometimes cut, he can fly sufficiently to get over the wall, but seldom ventures beyond the adjoining flower-garden or orchard. From habit or tameness this bird seems to pay little regard to sunshine or shade, sitting during the daytime as indifferently in the most open and exposed places as in the more shaded corners : he is quite tame too, and answers to the call of the children. He hoots as vigorously at mid-day as at night, and will take a bird from my hand when offered to him. Although his flight has been impeded by his wing being cut, he seems to have entirely cleared the garden of mice, with which it was much overrun. Though a light bird, and not apparently very strongly built, his sharp claws and bill enable him to tear to pieces any crow or sea-gull that is offered to him. When he has had his meal off some large bird of this kind, and has satisfied his appetite, he carries away and carefully hides the remainder, returning to it when again hungry. I do not know whether the owl, when at liberty in his native woods, has the same fox-like propensity to hide what he cannot eat. I have frequently heard this kind of owl hoot and utter another sharp kind of cry during the daytime in the shady solitudes of the pine-woods. The white or barn-owl 2 is rare here, and very seldom seen. I believe him to have been almost eradicated by traps and keepers. 1 The tawny owl is common enough, building in old crows' nests, in clefts of rocks, old ruins, etc., sometimes in rabbit-holes, in which latter situation I have found the eggs. C. St. J. 2 This owl lives almost wholly on mice. It is not common at all in this part of the country, though I have seen them about the rocks of the Findhorn and elsewhere, and on UTILITY OF OWLS 75 With regard to the mischief done by owls, all the harm they do is amply repaid by their utility in destroying a much more serious nuisance in the shape not only of the different kinds of mice, but of rats also, these animals being their principal food and the prey which they are most adapted for catching. I knew an instance where the owls having been nearly destroyed by the numerous pole-traps placed about the fields for the destruction of them and the hawks, the rats and mice increased to such an extent on the disappearance of these their worst enemies, and committed such havoc among the nursery- gardens, farm-buildings, etc., that the proprietor was obliged to have all the pole -traps taken down, and the owls having been allowed to increase again, the rats and mice as quickly diminished in number. When the long-eared owls have young, they are not particular as to what they prey upon, and I have found the remains of many different kinds of game about their nests. The wings of the owl are peculiarly adapted for seizing their sharp-eared prey with silence : were it otherwise, from not having the rapidity of the hawk and other birds of prey, the owl would have little chance of catching the active little mouse. As it is, he comes silently and surely near the ground, and dropping down on the unfortunate mouse, surrounds it with his wings, and grasping it in his sharp and powerful claws, soon puts an end to the little animal. The wings are fringed with a downy texture, which makes his flight quite inaudible on the calmest night The numbers of mice destroyed by a breeding pair of owls must be enormous, and the service they perform by so doing very great to the farmer, the planter, and the gardener. Though neither cats nor owls ever eat the little shrew-mouse, 1 they always strike and kill it when opportunity offers, leaving the animal on the spot. What there is so obnoxious to all animals of prey in this little creature it is impossible to say. Besides the shrew we have the common Elgin Cathedral. But they are comparatively rare. It is on the whole very useful in destroying so many mice. C. St. J. Mr. C. Innes, who edited St. John's Natural History and Sfort in Moray, 1863, adds as a note to that book (p. 298), on the barn-owl : "This is one of the few birds I have known transplanted and breed and thrive in its new country. A pair of white owls were brought from England by a school-boy more than twenty years ago to the banks of the Nairn, where their descendants are now in good numbers. Their first independent settle- ment was in the tower of Kilravock. " 1 Sorex araneus and S. fodiens, water-shrew, Moray. C. St. f. 76 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. house- mouse, the short-eared mouse, and that beautiful bright- eyed kind the long-tailed field-mouse. The last is very destructive to the garden-seeds, and without the assistance of the owls would be kept under with great difficulty. The large- headed, short-eared mouse is not so pretty an animal, but equally destructive, taking great delight in sweet peas and other seeds : they also climb the peach-trees and destroy great quantities of the fruit. A fig-tree this year, when its winter covering of straw was taken off, was found to be entirely barked and all the shoots eaten off by these mice. The shrew r -mouse has the same propensity for barking trees. I have known the former kind, indeed, destroy Scotch fir-trees of the height of fifteen or sixteen feet by nibbling and peeling the topmost shoot till the tree gradually withered away. The quantities of acorns and other seeds that the long-tailed field-mice hoard up for their winter use show that, were they allowed to increase, the mischief they would do would be incalculable ; and un- doubtedly the best way of getting rid of all mice is to preserve and encourage owls. The long-tailed field-mouse 1 has great capabilities as a digger, and in making his hole carries up an incredible quantity of earth and gravel in a very short time. When the weather is cold they close up the mouth of their hole with great care. They seem to produce their young not under- ground, but in a comfortable, well-built nest, formed in the shape of a ball, with a small entrance on one side. As it is built of the same material as the surrounding herbage, and the entrance is closed up, it is not easily seen. Everybody must be glad to encourage any animal that kills a rat, 2 and the owls are the most determined enemies to this, the most disgusting and obnoxious animal which we have in this country. For what can be so sickening as to know that these animals come direct from devouring and revelling in the foulest garbage in the drains of your house, to the larder where your own provisions are kept ; and, fresh from their stinking and filthy banquet, run over your meat with their clammy paws, and gnaw at your bread with their foul teeth ? what 1 This mouse is very fond of flesh, frequently eating the dead rabbits, etc., used for bait to verm in -traps. The dormouse frequently builds a nest in the branches of copse- wood. C. St. J. - Mus rattus (black rat) I believe is extinct in Moray. Twenty years ago plentiful (1850). -C. St. J. vii MICE AND RATS 77 cleansing and washing can wipe away their traces ? Nothing will keep out these animals when they have once established themselves in a house. They gnaw through stone, lead, or almost anything. They may be extirpated for a time, but you suddenly find yourself invaded by a fresh army. Some old rats, too, acquire such a carnivorous appetite, that fowls and ducks, old or young, pigeons, rabbits, all fall a prey to them. Adepts in climbing as well as in undermining, they get at everything, dead or alive. They reach game, although hung most carefully in a larder, by climbing the wall, and clinging to beam or rope till they get at it ; they then devour and destroy all that can be reached. I have frequently known them in this manner destroy a larder full of game in a single night. They seem to commence with the hind-legs of the hares, and to eat downwards, hollowing the animal out as it hangs up, till nothing but the skin is left. In the fields, to which the rats betake themselves in the summer time, not only corn, but game, and eggs of all kinds, fall to their share. Mr. Waterton says that no house in England has more suffered from the Hanoverian rats than his own ; I don't doubt it in every sense. The poor water-rat l is a comparatively harmless animal, feeding principally upon herbage, not refusing, however, fish, or even toads, when they come in its way. The succulent grasses that grow by the sides of ditches, seem to form its chief food during the summer season. Early in the spring, before these grasses are well grown, the water-rat preys much on toads. I have found little piles of the feet, and remains of several of these animals, near the edge of water frequented by these rats, which they seem to have collected together in certain places, and left there. I have known the water-rat do great damage to artificial dams and the heads of ponds, by undermining them, and boring holes in every direction through them, below the water-mark, as well as above it. The water-rat has peculiarly sensitive organs of scent, and it is therefore almost impossible to trap him, as he is sure to discover the taint of the human hand. Cunning as the house- rat is, this kind is much more so. Though the former may be in a measure kept down by constant trapping, it is a trouble- 1 Arvicola amphibia. Of its two varieties, in Morayshire the black water-rat is most common, though the brown is also found. A. agrestis (field vole), Moray. C. St. J. 78 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. some method, and there are sure to be some cunning old patriarchs who will not enter any kind of trap. 1 I believe that the best kind of trap in a house is the common gin, laid open and uncovered in their runs. They then do not seem to suspect any danger, but when the trap is covered they are sure to detect its presence, and, like all wild animals, they are much more cautious in avoiding a concealed danger than an open one. Poison is the best means of getting rid of them, and the manner of applying it is as follows : For the space of a fort- night feed the rats with good wholesome meal and water in some quiet room or cellar accessible to all these troublesome inmates of your house. At first two or three rats may find it out ; these are sure to lead others to the place, till the whole company of freebooters go for their share. As soon as you see that they seem to have collected in numbers in your feeding- room, season your meal with plenty of arsenic, and you may be pretty sure of its being all devoured. Continue giving them this till you find no more come, and by that time probably there are none left alive in the house. The only danger is, that some of them may die behind the wainscots of your rooms, in which case you must either open the place and search till you find the dead animal, or you must vacate that room till the dreadful stench is over. That rats carry off hens' and even turkeys' eggs to some considerable distance is a fact ; how they accomplish this feat I should like to known, as they do it with- out breaking the shell, or leaving any mark upon it. 2 A crow or magpie, Columbus-like, shortens the difficulty by sticking the lower mandible of his bill into a hen's egg when he wants to carry it off, but this is beyond a rat's capabilities ; neverthe- less, eggs form one of their favourite repasts. The increase of rats, if left to breed in peace, would exceed that of almost any other animal, as they produce broods of six or eight young ones in rapid succession, throughout the greatest part of the year. In building a nest for her young, the female carries off every 1 Readers who wish to become acquainted with the habits of rats, and the best methods of exterminating them, should read Barkley's Studies in the Art of Ratcatching. 2 Mr. Speedy in his Sport in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland writes : ' ' From personal observation I can testify how one was carried. Going hurriedly into a stable where hens were in the habit of dropping their eggs, I witnessed a huge rat bearing an egg along the manger towards its hole at the end. It hugged it with one of its fore feet, holding it against its breast, and in this manner was travelling along the outer beam of the manger." vii MIGRATION OF RATS 79 soft substance which she can find ; pieces of lace, cloth, and above all, paper, seem to be her favourite lining. The natural destroyers in this country of this obnoxious animal seem to be, the hen-harrier, the falcon, the long-eared and the tawny owls, cats, weasels, and stoats ; and, ante omncs, boys of every age and grade wage war to the knife against rats, wherever and whenever they can find them. As for rat-catchers find me an honest one, and I will forfeit my name. I would as soon admit a colony of rats themselves, as one of these gentry to my house, not but what I have amused myself by learning slight tricks of the trade from one of these representatives of roguery and unblushing effrontery, but, fas est et ab Jwsle doceri. Rats swarm about the small towns in this country where the herrings are cured, living amongst the stones of the harbours and rocks on the shore, and issuing out in great numbers towards nightfall, to feed on the stinking remains of the fish. They have been seen migrating from these places at the end of the fishing-season in compact bodies and in immense numbers. They then spread themselves, an invading host, amongst the farm-houses and stack-yards in the neighbourhood ; repairing again to the coast for the benefit of a fish diet and sea air, when their wonderful instinct tells them that the fishing- season has again commenced. But I really must finish the subject, or my reader will be as tired as I am myself of these accounts of the unprincipled greediness and voracity of the Hanoverian or Grey Rat, who has made for itself a home in this country, after nearly extirpating the original indigenous and much less vile race of British rats. THK SNOWY O\VI. CHAPTER VIII Crossbills : Habits of ; Nest Snowy Owl Great-eared Owl Hoopoe Shrike Tawny and Snow Bunting Lizards Singular Pets Toads: Utility of; Com- bats of Adders Dog and Snakes Large Snake Blind-Worm. WHILST walking through the extensive fir and larch woods in this neighbourhood, I am often much amused by the proceed- ings of those curious little birds the crossbills. 1 They pass incessantly from tree to tree with a jerking quick flight in 1 The Common Crossbill. The bill of the young is not crooked when they first leave the nest. The male crossbill loses its red plumage, and returns to a plain olive green. I have seen it during the whole year in Morayshire, where it breeds at Dulsie. I have also obtained nest and eggs from Balnagowan in Ross-shire. The eggs are like those of the greenfinch, but larger and more oval. The nest is also like that of the greenfinch, but built more loosely. The only authentic nests that I know of are belonging to Mr. Hancock at Newcastle (C. St. J. ) For another excellent account of the crossbill's habits, breeding, nests, etc., see Natural History and Sport in Moray, p. 124. It is not uncommon in Ross-shire and the eastern districts of Sutherland, but, of course, owing to the paucity of trees, is unknown in Assynt. Mr. Knox (Autumns on the Spcy, p. 33) gives a charming narrative of the feeding of a party of crossbills in the woods. CHAP, vni THE CROSSBILL 81 search of their food, which consists of the seeds of the fir and larch. They extract these from the cones with the greatest skill and rapidity, holding the cone in one foot, and cutting it up quickly and thoroughly with their powerful beak, which they use much after the manner of a pair of scissors. When the flock has stripped one tree of all the sound cones, they simultaneously take wing, uttering at the same time a sharp harsh chattering cry. Sometimes th'ey fly off to a considerable height, and after wheeling about for a short time, suddenly alight again on some prolific-looking tree, over which they dis- perse immediately, hanging and swinging about the branches and twigs, cutting off the cones, a great many of which they fling to the ground, often with a kind of impatient jerk. These cones, I conclude, are without any ripe seed. They continue uttering a constant chirping while in search of their food on the branches. I have never succeeded in finding the nest of the crossbill, though I am confident that they breed in this country, having seen the birds during every month of the year, so that either some barren ones must remain, or they hatch their young here. The nest has been described to me as placed at a con- siderable height from the ground, at the junction of some large branch with the main stem. The crossbill itself is a busy, singular-looking little fellow, as he flits to and fro, or climbs, parrot-like, up and down the branches ; and the cock, with his red plumage shining in the sun, has more the appearance of some Eastern or tropical bird than any other of our sober northern finches. When engaged in feeding, these birds are often so intent on their occupation that they will allow a horsehair snare, attached to the end of a long twig, to be slipped round their necks before they fly away. In captivity they are very tame, but restless, and are constantly tearing with their strong mandibles at the woodwork and wires of their cage. Altogether the crossbill is a gay, lively bird, and, I hope, likely to increase and become a regular inhabitant of this country, as the numerous plantations of fir and larch which are daily being laid out, afford them plenty of their favourite and natural food. 1 1 This forecast has been in a great measure verified. Crossbills are now fairly .abundant in many districts, especially of the west coast. G 82 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. The eastern coast of Scotland, owing to its proximity to Sweden and Norway, and also to the great prevalence of easterly winds, is often visited by foreign birds. Amongst these is that splendid stranger the snowy owl, 1 who occasionally is blown over to our coast from his native fastnesses amongst the mountains and forests of the north of Europe. Now and then one of these birds is killed here, and I was told of one having been seen two or three years back on part of the ground rented by me. He was sitting on a high piece of muirland, and at a distance looked, said my informant, " like a milestone." This bird was pursued for some hours, but was not killed. The snowy owl has been also seen, to the astonishment of the fisher- man or bent-puller, on the sand-hills, where he finds plenty of food amongst the rabbits that abound there. One was winged in that district a few years ago, and lived for some time in confinement. He was a particularly fine old bird, with perfect plumage, and of a great size. I am much inclined to think that the great -eared owl, Strix bubo? is also occasionally a visitor to the wildest parts of this district. A man described to me a large bird, which he called an eagle. The bird was sitting on a fir-tree, and his attention was called to it by the grey crows uttering their cries of alarm and war. He went up to the tree, and close above his head sat a great bird, with large staring yellow eyes, as bright (so he expressed it) as two brass buttons. The man stooped to pick up a stone or stick, and the bird dashed off the tree into the recesses of the wood, and was not seen again. I have no doubt that, instead of an eagle, as he supposed it to be, it was the great Strix bubo. The colour of its eyes, the situation the bird was in on the branch of a tall fir-tree, and its remaining quiet until the man approached so close to it, all convince me that it must have been the great owl, whose loud midnight hootings disturb the solitude of the 1 The snowy owl is an occasional visitor on the east coast, apparently driven over by continued severe gales from the north-east. C. St. J. Continental skins of this bird are worth a pound each in London. About 1845 a friend was shooting a wild-duck in a snowstorm in the north of Caithness, when a snowy owl swooped upon the falling duck, and carried it off in its claws. The sportsman's second barrel laid the owl low, and they have been both stuffed and set up together. Tengmalm's owl (N. Tengmalmi) was killed at Spinningdale, Sutherland, by Mr. Dunbar. C. St. J. 3 Bubo maximus, Gray. It " has almost become extinct in the British Islands, but is still a resident in the mountainous districts of most parts of Europe." Seebohm, Siberia in Europe, p. 84. vni HOOPOE AND SHRIKE 83 German forests, giving additional weight to the legends and superstitions of the peasants of that country, inclined as they are to belief in supernatural sounds and apparitions. The hoopoe l has been killed in the east of Sutherland, on the bent-hills near Dornoch, and so also has the rose-coloured ousel. 2 These birds must have been driven over by the east winds, as neither of them are inhabitants of Britain. Indeed, many a rare and foreign bird may visit the uninhabited and desert tracts of bent and sand along the east coast without being observed, excepting quite by chance ; and the probability is, that nine persons out of ten who might see a strange bird would take no notice of it. Last winter I saw a great ash-coloured shrike 3 or butcher- bird in my orchard. The gardener told me that he had seen it for some hours in pursuit of the small birds, and I found lying about the walls two or three chaffinches, which had been killed and partly eaten, in a style unlike the performance of any bird of prey that I am acquainted with ; so much so, in- deed, that before I saw the butcher-bird, my attention was called to their dead bodies by the curious manner in which they seemed to have been pulled to pieces. Having watched the bird for a short time as he sat perched on an apple-tree very near me, I went in for my gun, but did not see him again. The tawny bunting and the snow-bunting 4 visit us in large 1 The hoopoe (Upupa epops) has been seen once or twice in Shetland by Dr. Saxby, but "can only be regarded as a straggler in any part of Scotland" (Gray, p. 198). One was killed in the west woods of Moncreiff. 2 Pastor roseus. The rose-coloured pasor (or ousel). A very rare visitor. I have killed it in Morayshire in June : the bird at the time was flying over my head. I saw one which had just been killed near Inverness in July ; also near Dornoch. C. St. J. 3 A rare visitor. I once or twice have seen it near Forres. C. St. J. 4 " I have seen the snow-bunting on 4th September on a high mountain near Loch Rannoch while ptarmigan -shooting. They appeared to be a family of two old and three or four young birds" (C. St. J. ) "The snow -bunting {Plectrophanes nivalis] is a circumpolar bird, breeding principally on the tundras of the Arctic regions beyond the limit of forest growth. It is an irregular migrant driven southwards in severe seasons in larger or smaller flocks to Central Europe, South Siberia, North China, Japan, and the Northern States of America. These birds seem to lead a roving, gipsy life during winter, perpetually trying to migrate northwards with every appearance of milder weather, and perpetually driven southwards with each recurring frost "(Seebohm, p. 50). It has long been suspected by ornithologists that the snow-bunting bred in Scotland. It was reserved for Mr. B. N. Peach and Mr. L. N. Hinxman of the Geological Survey of Scotland to verify this surmise. On 3rd July 1886 a nest with five young birds was discovered by them 2800 feet above sea-level on the eastern face of one of the wildest corries on the highest mountains of Sutherland. A most interesting description of this nest and an account of the old ones feeding the little ones may be seen in Harvie-Brown and Buckley's Vertebrate Fauna of Sutherland and Caithness (Douglas, 1887), p. 138 seq. 84 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. flocks, especially the latter, which birds remain here during the whole winter, appearing in greater or lesser flocks according to the temperature. In severe weather the fields near the sea- shore, and the shore itself, are sometimes nearly covered by them. When the snow-buntings first arrive, in October and November, they are of a much darker colour than they are afterwards as the winter advances. If there is much snow, they put on a white plumage immediately. I do not know how this change of colour is effected, but it is very visible, and appears to depend entirely on the severity of the season. They feed a great deal on the shore. When flying they keep in close rank, but as soon as they alight the whole company in- stantly disperse, and run (not jump, like many small birds) quickly about in search of their food, which consists principally of small insects and minute seeds. They often pitch to look for these on the barest parts of the sand-hills, the dry sands always producing a number of small flies and beetles. So fine and dry is the sand which composes the hillocks and plains of that curious district, that every beetle and fly that walks or crawls over its surface in calm and dry weather leaves its track as distinctly marked on the finely-pulverised particles, as the rabbit or hare does on snow. The footprints of the lizards, which abound there, are very neatly and distinctly marked, till the first breath of wind drifting the sand erases the impressions. One of my children brought home a large lizard one day, and put it into a box, intending to keep it as a pet ; boys having strange tastes in the animals which they select as favourites. I remember that when I was a boy at school, I was the owner of three living pets a rat, a bat, and a snake, all of which lived and flourished for some months under my tender care, notwithstanding the occasional edicts sent forth from head- quarters against any living animal whatever being kept in the schoolroom. But to return to the lizard in the box. The next morning, to the children's great delight, the lizard had become much reduced in circumference, but had produced four young ones, who were apparently in full and vigorous enjoyment of life. They were voted, at a consultation of the children, to be entitled to, and worthy of liberty, and were all (mother and children) carefully put into the garden, in a sunny corner under the wall. For my own part, I can see nothing more disgusting vin THE TOAD 85 in animals usually called reptiles, such as lizards and toads, than in any other living creatures. A toad is a most useful member of society, and deserves the freedom of all floricultural societies, as well as entire immunity from all the pains and penalties which he undergoes at the hands of the ignorant and vulgar. In hotbeds and hothouses he is extremely useful, and many gardeners take great care of toads in these places, where they do good service by destroying beetles and other insects. In the flower-beds too they are of similar use. Of quiet and domestic habits, the toad seldom seems to wander far from his seat or form under a loose stone, or at the foot of a fruit-tree or box- edging. There are several habitues of this species in my garden, whom I always see in their respective places during the middle of the day. In the evening they issue out in search of their prey. I found a toad one day caught by the leg in a horse- hair snare which had been placed for birds. The animal, not- withstanding the usual placid and phlegmatic demeanour of its race, seemed to be in a perfect fury, struggling and scratching at everything within his reach, apparently much more in anger than fear. Like many other individuals of quiet exterior, toads are liable to great fits of passion and anger, as is seen in the pools during April, when five or six will contend for the good graces of their sultanas with a fury and pertinacity that is quite wonderful, fighting and struggling for hours together. And where a road intervenes between two ditches, I have seen the battle carried on even in the dry dust, till the rival toads, in spite of their natural aquatic propensities, became perfectly dry and covered with sand, and in this powdered state will they continue fighting, regardless of the heat, which shrivels up their skin, or of passers-by, who may tread on them and maim them, but cannot stop their fighting. There is more character and energy in a toad than is supposed. After the young ones have acquired their perfect shape, they appear to leave the water, and frequently the roads and paths are so covered with minute but well-formed toadlings, that it is impossible to put your foot down without crushing some of them. In some of the drier banks and hills in this country, there are numerous adders ; like most other snakes, however, they never willingly fly at people, only biting when trod upon or taken hold of. 1 have had my dogs occasionally, but rarely, 86 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP, vm bitten by adders. The swelling is very severe, and only reduced after several hours' rubbing with oil and laudanum. A retriever of mine, having been bitten by an adder, conceived the most deadly hatred against them ever after, and killed a great number of them without being again bitten ; his method was to snap quickly at the adder, biting it in two almost instantaneously, and before the reptile could retaliate. A favourite amusement of this dog, when he was in Sussex with me some time afterwards, used to be hunting the hedgerows for snakes and adders. He made a most marked distinction between the two, killing the former quietly and without hurry, but whenever he found an adder, he darted on it with a perfect frenzy of rage, at the same time always managing to escape the fangs of the venomous reptile, quickly as it can use them. The poisonous teeth of the adder greatly resemble the talons of a cat in shape, and can be raised or laid flat on the jaw according to the wish of their owner ; indeed, the fangs of the adder, which are hollow throughout, are only raised when he is angry, and in self- defence. The common snake, which is quite harmless, has no such teeth. There are stories among the peasants, of adders being seen in Darnaway Forest, of great size and length, measur- ing five or six feet, but I do not believe that there are any larger than the usual size. I have never seen the Anguis fragilis, or blind-worm, as it is called, but once in this country, though I am told it is not un- common ; a man brought me one last year which he had found floating down the river after a flood, as if swept off some rock by the sudden rise of the water. I mentioned the circumstance to some of my acquaintance, but could find no one who had either seen or heard of such a creature in this country. This one was alive when brought to me, but had received a cut which nearly divided its body in two, so that it did not long survive. Amongst the rare feathered visitors to these woods, I forgot to mention the spotted woodpecker, 1 Picus medius, which bird I killed in Inverness-shire ; I was attracted to the spot, where he was clinging to the topmost shoot of a larch-tree, by hearing his strange harsh cry. 1 This was probably Picus major, the greater spotted woodpecker (see Newton's Yarrell, ii. p. 484). It has even been known to breed in limited numbers in North- East Scotland (Gray). YELLOW-HAMMER S NEST CHAPTER IX On the Peculiarities and Instinct of different Animals Eggs of Birds Nests The Fox Red-Deer Hind THERE are two birds which, although wild and unapproachable at every other time, throw themselves during the breeding- season on the mercy and protection of man : these are the wood-pigeon and the missel-thrush. Scarcely any bird is more wary than the wood-pigeon at other times, yet in the spring there are generally half-a-dozen nests in the most exposed places close to my house, while the old birds sit tamely, and apparently devoid of all fear, close to the windows ; they seem to have an instinctive knowledge of places where they are allowed to go through the business of incubation without being molested. In like manner, the missel -thrush, though during the rest of the year it is nearly impossible to get within a hundred yards of it, forms its nest in the apple-trees close to the house : they build at a height of six or seven feet, in the fork of the tree where the main limbs branch off; and although 88 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. their nest is large, it is so carefully constructed of materials resembling in colour the bark of the tree, and is made to blend itself so gradually with the branches, as to show no distinct outline of a nest, and to render it very difficult to discover ; and this bird, at other times so shy and timid, sits so close on her eggs that she will almost allow herself to be taken by the hand. The missel-thrushes on the approach of a hawk give a loud cry of alarm, and then collecting all their neighbours, lead them on to attack the common enemy, swooping and striking fearlessly at him, till he is driven out of the vicinity of their nests. The observation of the different plans that birds adopt to avoid the discovery and destruction of their eggs, is by no means an uninteresting study to the naturalist. There is far more of art and cunning design in their manner of building, than the casual observer would suppose, and this, even amongst the commonest of our native birds. The wren, for instance, always adapts her nest to the colour and appearance of the surrounding foliage, or whatever else may be near the large and comfortable abode which she forms for her tiny family. In a beech-hedge near the house, in which the leaves of the last year still remain at the time when the birds commence building, the wrens form the outside of their nests entirely of the withered leaves of the beech, so that, large as it is, the passer-by would never take it for anything more than a chance collection of leaves heaped together, and though the nest is as firm and strong as possible, they manage to give it the look of a confused mass of leaves, instead of a round and compact ball, which it really is. The wren also builds near the ground, about the lower branches of shrubs which are overgrown and surrounded with long grass : in these situations she forms her nest of the long withered grass itself, and twines and arches it over her roof, in a manner which would deceive the eyes of any animal, excepting those of boys. When her nest is built, as it often is, in a spruce fir tree, she covers the outside with green moss, which of all the substances she could select is the one most resembling the foliage of the spruce : the interior of the wren's nest is a perfect mass of feathers and soft substances. The chaffinch builds usually in the apple-trees, whose lichen- covered branches she imitates closely, by covering her nest with ix THE GREENFINCH AND WHITETHROAT 89 the lichens and moss of a similar colour. Even her eggs are much of the same hue. Sometimes this bird builds in the wall fruit trees, when she collects substances of exactly the same colour as the wall itself. The greenfinch, building amongst the green foliage of trees, covers her nest with green moss, while her eggs resemble in colour the lining on which they are laid. The yellow-hammer, again, builds on or near the ground, and forming her nest out- wardly of dried grass and fibres, like those by which it is surrounded, lines it with horsehair ; her eggs too are not unlike in colour to her nest while the greenish-brown of the bird herself closely resembles the colour of the grass and twigs about her. The little whitethroat builds her nest on the ground, at the root of a tree or in long withered grass, and carefully arches it over with the surrounding herbage, and to hide her little white eggs, places a leaf in front of the entrance whenever she leaves her nest. When the partridge quits her eggs for the purpose of feeding, she covers them in the most careful manner, and even closes up her run by which she goes to and fro through the surrounding grass. The same plan is adopted by the wild duck, who hides her eggs and nest by covering them with dead leaves, sticks, and other substances, which she afterwards smooths carefully over so as entirely to conceal all traces of her dwelling. There are several domesticated wild ducks, who build their nests about the flower-beds and lawn near the windows a privilege they have usurped rather against the will of my gardener. Tame as these birds are, it is almost impossible to catch them in the act of going to or from their nests. They take every precaution to escape observation, and will wait for a long time rather than go to their nests if people are about the place. The pewits, who lay their eggs on the open fields with scarcely any nest, always manage to choose a spot where loose stones or other substances of the same colour as their eggs are scattered about. The terns lay their eggs in the same manner amongst the shingle and gravel. So do the ring-dotterel, the oyster-catcher, and several other birds of the same description : all of them selecting spots where the gravel resembles their eggs in size and colour. Without these precautions, the grey 9 o WILD SPORl^S OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. crows and other egg-eating birds would leave but few to be hatched. The larger birds, the size of whose nests does not admit of their concealment, generally take some precautions to add to their safety. A raven, which builds in a tree, invariably fixes on the one that is most difficult to climb. She takes up her abode in one whose large size and smooth trunk, devoid of branches, set at defiance the utmost efforts of the most expert climbers of the village school. When she builds on a cliff, she fixes on a niche protected by some projection of the rock from all attacks both from above and below, at the same time choosing the most inaccessible part of the precipice. The falcon and eagle do the same. The magpie seems to depend more on the fortification of brambles and thorns with which she surrounds her nest than the situation which she fixes upon. There is one kind of swallow which breeds very frequently about the caves and rocks on the sea-shore here. It is almost impossible to distinguish the nest of this bird, owing to her choosing some inequality of the rock to hide the outline of her building, which is composed of mud and clay of exactly the same colour as the rock itself. In fine, though some birds build a more simple and exposed nest than others, there are very few which do not take some precaution for their safety, or whose eggs and young do not resemble in colour the substances by which they are surrounded. The care of the common rabbit, in concealing and smoothing over the entrance of the hole where her young are deposited, is very remarkable, and doubtless saves them from the attacks of almost all their enemies, with the exception of the wily fox, whose fine scent enables him to discover their exact situation, and who in digging them out, instead of following the hole in his excavations, discovers the exact spot under which they are, and then digs down directly on them, thus saving himself a great deal of labour. The fox chooses the most unlikely places and holes to produce her young cubs in ; generally in some deep and inaccessible earth, where no digging can get at them, owing to the intervention of rocks or roots of trees. I once, however, two years ago, found three young foxes about two days old, laid in a comfortable nest in some long heather, instead of the RED-DEER HIND 91 usual subterraneous situation which the old one generally makes choice of. Deer and roe fix upon the most lonely parts of the mountain or forest for the habitation of their fawns, before they have strength to follow their parents. I one day, some time ago, was watching a red-deer hind with my glass, whose pro- ceedings I did not understand, till I saw that she was engaged in licking a newly-born calf. I walked up to the place, and as soon as the old deer saw me she gave her young one a slight tap with her hoof. The little creature immediately laid itself down ; and when I came up I found it lying with its head flat on the ground, its ears closely laid back, and with all the attempts at concealment that one sees in animals which have passed an apprenticeship to danger of some years, whereas it had evidently not known the world for more than an hour, being unable to run or escape. I lifted up the little creature, being half inclined to carry it home in order to rear it. The mother stood at the distance of two hundred yards, stamping with her foot, exactly as a sheep would have done in a similar situation. I, however, remembering the distance I had to carry it, and fearing that it might get hurt on the way, laid it down again, and went on my way, to the great delight of its mother, who almost immediately trotted up, and examined her progeny carefully all over, appearing, like most other wild animals, to be confident that her young and helpless offspring would be a safeguard to herself against the attacks of her otherwise worst enemy. I have seen roe throw themselves in the way of danger, in order to take my attention from their young. No animal is more inclined to do battle for her young ones than the otter ; and I have known an instance of an old female otter following a man who was carrying off her young for a considerable distance, almost disputing the way with him ; leaving the water, and blowing at him in their peculiar manner ; till at last, having no stick or other means of defence, he actually got so frightened at her threats that he laid down the two young ones and went his way. He returned presently with a stick he had found, but both old and young had disappeared. Even a partridge will do battle for her young. A hen partridge one day sur- prised me by rushing out of some cover (through which I was passing by a narrow path) and flying at a large dog which accompanied me ; she actually spurred and pecked him, driving WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. IX. him several yards along the road ; and this done, she ran at my heels like a barn-door hen. As I passed, I saw her newly- hatched brood along the edge of the path. I have known a pheasant do exactly the same thing. Wild ducks, snipes, woodcocks, and many other shy birds, will also throw them- selves boldly within the reach of destruction in defence of their young. WHITETHROATS NEST THE EAGLE AND MOUNTAIN HAKE CHAPTER X The Eagle: Habits; Greediness; Anecdotes of; Killing Eagles; Trapping; Food of The Peregrine Falcon : Manner of Hunting Tame Falcon : Anecdotes of Guinea- Hen and Ducks The Osprey The Kite: Trapping The Buzzard: Nests and Habits of. I SAW an eagle 1 to-day passing southwards, apparently on his way from the mountains of Sutherland or Caithness to the 1 Rarely seen in Morayshire, excepting during its passage from the Grampians to the more northern mountains. The eggs, sometimes white, and sometimes spotted closely with light red brown. When taking its prey, such as a grouse or hare, on the ground, 94 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. more southern heights of the Grampians. The bird was flying very near the ground, making his way against the wind, and pursued by a whole squadron of grey crows, who had found out that he was a stranger, and taking advantage of the unconcerned contempt with which he treated their attacks, kept up a con- tinual clamour and petty warfare against the royal bird. The eagle, as he came over the more enclosed part of the country, flew higher, as if suspicious of concealed foes amongst the hedges and enclosures. I have almost every year during my stay in Morayshire seen the eagles occasionally passing, at the beginning of winter invariably going southwards, and again early in the spring on their return northwards ; in windy weather flying low, but when calm cleaving the air at a great height. The eagle's flight, when passing from one point to another, is peculiarly expressive of strength and vigour. He wends his way with deliberate strong strokes of his powerful wing, every stroke apparently driving him on a considerable distance, and in this manner advancing through the air as rapidly as the pigeon or any other bird which may appear to fly much more quickly. Notwithstanding the facility with which he flies when once fairly launched, like many other heavy birds, a very slight wound disables him from rising into the air when on level ground. Even after having gorged himself to excess (and there is no greater glutton than this king of the air) the eagle is unable to rise, and falls a victim occasionally to his want of moderation in feeding. When in Sutherland I twice fell in with instances of eagles being knocked down when unable to rise from over- eating. On one occasion a curious kind of character, who acted the part of hanger-on to me in my deer-shooting excursions, brought home an eagle, which he had killed with his stick the eagle generally carries it off without stopping for a moment. To kill an animal it makes use only of its talons. The eagle, however, prefers the carcass of a large animal, such as a deer or sheep, to the trouble of hunting and taking smaller game. The golden eagle usually breeds inland, and the white-tailed eagle usually on the cliffs overhanging the sea, though there are exceptions to both these rules. The white- tailed eagle (A. albicilla) also feeds on carrion as well as on fish. It is rare in Moray. C. St. J. The golden eagle still holds its own in the western districts of Scotland. It is preserved by the Duke of Sutherland and by almost all proprietors of land. Were it not for the demand for its eggs and the large price paid for them it would increase faster than, even as it is, it is said to do at present. It is a well-known bird in the Outer Hebrides, best known in Lewis and Harris. Its Gaelic name is " iolair dhubh " (black eagle). x EAGLES 95 before it could rise from the ground. This man, who was dumb, and was supposed (very erroneously) to be half-witted also, had a great penchant for assisting in beating the woods for roe or deer ; and from long acquaintance with the country, and from a propensity (very common to people similarly afflicted) for wandering about, he had a perfect knowledge of every corner of the extensive woods on the property, and also a most shrewd guess as to where the deer would be lying, and in which direction they would break cover. Though generally of a most morose and even malicious temper, Muckle Thomas, as they called him, entertained a great affection, in his way, for me ; and every morning was to be found seated in front of the windows, smoking a solitary pipe, and waiting to see if I wanted him. Though dumb, he was not deaf, and understanding what was said to him, could make himself quite intelligible by signs, assisting my comprehension by drawing, in a rude way, figures on the ground with the long staff which he invariably carried. One morning I had sent him to look in a certain part of the woods to see if any deer's tracks were visible. In an hour or two he returned with something large bundled up in his plaid, which he opened, and cast down his load at my feet with a look and grunt of triumph. After some explanatory signs, etc., I found out that he had come on the eagle, who had so completely gorged himself with a rotten sheep in the wood that he could not rise. Another instance occurred in the same country. A shep- herd's boy found an eagle gorging itself on some drowned sheep in a watercourse, and being, like all herd-boys, as skilful as David in the use of sling and stone, he had broken the eagle's pinion with a pebble, and had actually stoned the poor bird to death. In this case the eagle was taken at peculiar disadvan- tage, being surprised in a deep rocky burn, out of which he would have had difficulty in rising quickly, even if he had not dined so abundantly. When wounded by shot, or even after escaping (but maimed) from a trap, the eagle is often unable to rise. A curious anecdote was told me by a friend. An eagle had been caught in a vermin-trap, and, by his struggles, had drawn the peg by which the trap was fastened to the ground, and had flown away with it. Nothing was seen for some weeks of eagle or trap, till one day my friend, seeing some strange 96 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. object hanging from the branch of a tree, went to examine what it was, and found the poor bird hanging by his leg, which was firmly held by the trap. The chain and peg had got fixed amongst the branches, and the poor eagle had died miserably from starvation in this position, suspended by the foot. Though certainly the eagles in some localities commit great havoc amongst the lambs, and also destroy the grouse when no larger game offers itself, it would be a great pity that this noble bird should become extinct in our Highland districts, who, notwith- standing his carnivorous propensities, should be rather preserved than exterminated. How picturesque he looks, and how per- fectly he represents the genius loci, as, perched on some rocky point, or withered tree, he sits unconcerned in wind and storm, motionless and statue-like, with his keen, stern eye, however, intently following every movement of the shepherd or of the sportsman, who, deceived by his apparent disregard, attempts to creep within rifle-shot. Long before he can reckon on reaching so far with his bullet, the bird launches himself into the air, and gradually sweeping upwards, wheels high out of shot, leaving his enemy disappointed and vexed at having crept in vain through bog and over rock in expectation of carrying home so glorious a trophy of his skill. When intent on his game, the eagle frequently will venture within a short dis- tance of the grouse-shooter or deer-stalker. I have seen him pounce (no, that is not the proper word, for he rather rushes) down on a pack of grouse, and, with outspread wings, he so puzzles and confuses the birds, that he seizes and carries ofT two or three before they know what has happened, and in the very face of the astonished sportsman and his dogs. The mountain hare, too, is carried off by the eagle with as much apparent ease as the mouse is borne away by the kestrel. The marten and the wild cat are favourite morsels. A tame eagle which I kept for some time killed all the cats about the place. Sitting motionless on his perch, he waited quietly and seemingly unheeding till the unfortunate animal came within reach of his chain. Then down he flew, and surrounding the cat with his wings, seized her in his powerful talons, with one foot planted firmly on her loins, and the other on her throat ; and nothing more was seen of poor Grimalkin except her skin, THE PEREGRINE 97 which the eagle left empty and turned inside out, like a rabbit- skin hung up by the cook, the whole of the carcass, bones and all, being stowed away in the bird's capacious maw. The quantity of meat taken from the stomach of an eagle killed on the mountain is sometimes perfectly incredible. I regret not having taken a note of the weight of mutton I once saw taken out of one I shot. We are occasionally visited, too, by the peregrine falcon, 1 who makes sad havoc in the poultry-yard when he appears here. There is a nest of these birds always built in the in- accessible rocks of the Findhorn. Indeed, in the good old days of hawking, when a gentleman was known by his hawk and hound, and even a lady seldom went abroad without a hawk on her gloved hand, the Findhorn hawks were always in great request. The peregrine seems often to strike down birds for his amusement ; and I have seen one knock down and kill two rooks, who were unlucky enough to cross his flight, without taking the trouble to look at them after they fell. In the plain country near the seashore the peregrine frequently pursues the pewits and other birds that frequent the coast. The golden- plover, too, is a favourite prey, and affords the hawk a severe chase before he is caught. I have seen a pursuit of this kind last for nearly ten minutes, the plover turning and doubling like a hare before greyhounds, at one moment darting like an arrow into the air, high above the falcon's head ; at the next, sweeping round some bush or headland but in vain. The hawk, with steady, relentless flight, without seeming to hurry herself, never gives up the chase, till the poor plover, seemingly quite exhausted, slackens his pace, and is caught by the hawk's talons in mid-air, and carried off to a convenient hillock or stone to be quietly devoured. Two years ago I brought a young peregrine falcon down from near the source of the Findhorn, 1 The peregrine falcon, Moray. Does not breed in trees. F. Islandicus (German falcon) seen near Loch Spynie, March 1850. C. St. J. It is a common bird in many districts of West Scotland, and is generally found in pairs, each pair inhabiting a circle of some six or eight miles. The ravages of keepers and egg-collectors have of late years much thinned its numbers. Mr. Gray saw one strike off the head of a curlew on the seashore near Girvan. It was followed by its mate. A keeper on Loch Laggan told us he had often seen one swoop down on a Hying covey of grouse, strike the head off one bird, wheel, and catch the dead bird in its talons. This he bore Cff while the head fell to the ground. Mr. Speedy says : "The falcon almost invariably strikes in the air, using his wing, with which he frequently de- jcapitates his victim " (p. 358). H 98 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. where I found her in the possession of a shepherd's boy, who fed her wholly on trout. For the first year the bird was of a dark brown colour above, with longitudinal spots on the feathers of her breast. On changing her plumage during the second autumn of her existence, she became of a most beautiful dark slate colour above, and the spots on her breast turned into cross- bars, every feather being barred with black ; her throat became of a beautiful cream colour. With great strength, she is pos- sessed of the most determined courage, and will attack any person or dog whom she takes a dislike to. Her poultry-killing propensities oblige me to keep her chained in the kitchen-garden, where no other bird, except a tame owl, resides. The owl she appears to tolerate with great good-nature, and even allows him to carry off any remains of pigeon or crow that she leaves after she has satisfied her hunger. One day an unfortunate duck strayed within reach of her chain, and was immediately pounced on and devoured, leaving a numerous family of ducklings to mourn her loss. A curious stepmother took them in hand, however. A Guinea-fowl, whose mate had been condemned to death for kill- ing young poultry, took compassion on the orphan ducklings, and led them about, calling them, and tending them with as much or more care than their deceased parent. It was a most singular sight to see the Guinea-fowl quite changing her natural habits, and walking about followed by a brood of young ducks. She never left them for a moment, excepting when she retired to her nest to lay ; and even then, if the ducks uttered any cry of alarm, on the approach of dog or children, their stepmother came flying over bushes and fences in a most furious hurry. Indeed she became quite the terror of the children, running- after them and pecking their legs if they came too near to her adopted brood ; although at other times she was rather a wild and shy bird. The ducks had a habit of hunting for worms in the dusk of the evening, and the poor Guinea-hen, much against her inclination and natural propensities, thought it necessary always to accompany them. Frequently tired out, she used to fly up to roost, but always kept her eye on the young ducks, and on the least alarm came bustling down to protect them if she thought it necessary, at any hour of the night. A pugna- cious cock at another time was rash enough to attack the hawk, THE OS PREY 99 and was not only killed, but devoured. Frequently unlucky pigeons came within reach of her chain, and were also eaten. In consequence of these depredations, she is exiled to the walled garden. One day I was altering her chain, and she flew away. After flying three or four times round the house and garden, she perched in a high tree and would not come down. I was obliged to leave her at night, and in the morning the hawk was nowhere to be found. For four days I saw nothing of her ; but on going out early on the fifth morning, I saw her wheeling about at a great height, with some hooded crows giving battle to her. I stood out in an open place and whistled. As soon as she heard me, after two or three rapid sweeps round my head, she perched down on my arm, and immediately began caress- ing me, and as plainly as possible expressing her delight at having found me again ; whether hunger or affection induced her to return, I know not ; though I rather fear the former, as, on my giving her a rabbit, she commenced devouring it as if her fast had not been broken since she got away. In feeding on birds, I observe that she invariably begins by plucking them of almost all their feathers, however hungry she may be ; and when I give her a rat or rabbit, she always pulls off most of the hair before commencing her meal. The only animal that she appears unwilling to eat is a mole, everything else is devoured without hesitation, and, when hungry, no bird is too large for her to attack. Black-backed gull or cormorant is instantly seized and plucked ; and one day, a Skye terrier going too near her chain, she instantly flew at it, and, had I not come to the rescue, would probably have killed it, as, perching on the dog's back, the hawk commenced immediately tearing at its head and eyes. The male peregrine is considerably smaller than the female, and of a much lighter colour ; their nest is built in some inaccessible niche or shelf of a lofty cliff or rock, and both birds assist in the business of incubation. The quantity of game killed by a pair of these birds to feed their young is immense ; and, from their great courage and strength, no bird of the game kind in this country has any chance with them. Occasionally an osprey l comes sailing down the course of 1 The osprey rare in Moray. Seen near Spynie 1850 (C. St. J. ) See Natural History and Sport in Moray, pp. 157-163, for an interesting account, probably the best in existence, of this bird's nest and habits while breeding. Sad to say, Mr. St. John and a friend, Mr. ioo WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. the river, but does not breed anywhere in our immediate neigh- bourhood. This very beautiful bird drops like a stone on any unlucky fish that its sharp eye may detect in the clear pools of the river, and I believe she seldom pounces in vain. Having caught a trout or small salmon, she flies with it to land, or to some rock, and there tears it up. When the river is too high and black for the fish to be attainable, no dead carcass comes amiss to her ; and in floods on the Findhorn there is seldom any dearth of food of this kind. Mountain sheep or wounded roe are frequently swept down its rapid course, when swollen with much rain or by the melting of snows on the higher mountains from whence this river derives its source. This winter, a young red deer (a calf of about eight months old) was found in the river. The animal had been shot with a slug through the shoulder, and had probably taken to the water (as wounded deer are in the habit of doing), and had been drowned and carried down the stream. That beautiful bird, the kite, 1 is now very rare in this country. Occasionally I have seen one, wheeling and soaring at an immense height ; but English keepers and traps have nearly extirpated this bird, as no greater enemy or more de- structive a foe to young grouse can exist. Their large and ravenous young require a vast quantity of food, and the old birds manage to keep their craving appetite well supplied. Not only young grouse and black game, but great numbers of young hares are carried to the nest. Though a bird of appa- rently such powerful and noble flight, the kite appears not to be very destructive to old grouse, but to confine her attacks Dunbar, shot probably the last ospreys in Sutherland on Loch Assynt. They used to build a huge nest, which from year to year had been added to until it attained size enough, as my informant said, to fill a cart, on the top of the ruined castle of Macleod by the edge of that-loch, and formed a very noticeable feature on it by their sailing over and plunging into its waters for food. The osprey (Pandion halicetus] is a rare visitor to the British Isles during the spring and autumn migration. It is a circumpolar bird, and may almost be said to be cosmo- politan in its range, breeding in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Australia. It has been recorded too from New Zealand (Seebohm, Siberia in Europe, p 138) The osprey is now protected on several estates in Scotland. 1 The kite is nearly extinct in this country, though tolerably numerous a few years back. A tame kite which I have feeds on almost anything that is dead, and also eats porridge, etc., with the hens and chickens, never touching the live poultry. C. St. 1 See Natural History in ^foray l p. 254. The kite (Milvus vulgaris) is now never seen in Assynt, and is hardly to be found in Scotland. Mr. J. Smith in 1879 had been told that a pair bred on Spcvside at Rothie- murchus. THE BUZZARD 101 to the young broods. During the season of the year, too, when she has no young ones to provide for, carrion of all kinds forms her principal food. In consequence of her greedy disposition, the kite is very easily trapped. From her habit of following the course of streams, and hunting along the shores of the loch in search of dead fish or drowned animals of any kind, one of the most successful ways of trapping the kite is to peg down the entrails of some animal in the shallow part of the water, and then to place the trap either on the shore immediately adjoining ; or, what is often done, to form a small artificial promontory close to the bait, and to set the trap on this. The garbage catches the sharp eye of the bird, as she soars at a great height above it, and the clever trapper seldom fails in catching her in this manner. The buzzard l is another of the hawk tribe which is gradually becoming rarer and rarer, and from the same cause. Like the kite, too, the buzzard is a carrion-feeding bird, and seldom kills anything but small birds, mice, or frogs, excepting during the breeding-season, when it is very destructive to game ; at other times the buzzard lives an indolent, lazy life. After having satisfied her hunger, this bird will sit for hours perfectly motion- less on some withered branch, or on a projecting corner of rock, whence she commands a good view of the surrounding country, and can easily detect the approach of danger. A cowardly bird, except when excited by hunger, she submits patiently to the attacks of the smaller birds, and flies from the magpie or jackdaw. Like the kite, the raven, the eagle, and all birds who feed much on carrion, the buzzard has a lofty flight when in search of food. Soaring high up in the air, and wheeling in circles, she appears to examine the surface of the land for miles and miles, in hopes of detecting some dead sheep or other carcass. The buzzard evinces little cunning in avoiding traps, and is easily caught. I have found their nests, containing from three to four large and nearly white eggs, in different situations ; sometimes built on rocks, and at other times in the branches of a tree, at no great height from the ground. She sits close, and will allow the near approach of a passer-by before she leaves her eggs. Though she is one of the most ignoble of the hawk kind, I have a lingering affection for this bird, in consequence of her 1 The buzzard (Butco vulgaris]. 102 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. X being connected in my remembrances with the rocky burns and hanging woods of the most romantic glens in the Highlands, where I have frequently fallen in with her nest and young. In this part of the country the buzzard has become very rare, and is only seen as an occasional visitor. v^Y"vl;/ *> ' - ilMrtT"oCT'" T *^* >'J*S*.. i -x MY PUGNACIOUS PEREGRINE THK SI'ARROWHAWK CHAPTER XI The Hen-Harrier : Destructiveness to Game ; Female of ; Trapping The Sparrow- hawk : Courage of; Ferocity; Nest The Kestrel: Utility of The Merlin: Boldness The Hobby Increase of Small Birds. IN the autumn my partridges suffer much from the hen-harrier. 1 As soon as the corn is cut this bird appears, and hunts the whole of the low country in the most determined and systematic manner. The hen-harrier, either on the hill -side or in the turnip-field, is a most destructive hunter. Flying at the height of only a few feet from the ground, he quarters the ground as regularly as an old pointer, crossing the field in every direction ; nor does he waste time in hunting useless ground, but tries turnip-field after turnip-field, and rushy field after rushy field, passing quickly over the more open ground, where he thinks his game is not so likely to be found. The moment he sees a 1 The hen-harrier is fond of hunting about farm-yards, where it kills rats, etc. It also is a great frequenter of marshes, where it hunts later in the evening than any other hawk. Feeds on grouse, partridges, rats, reptiles. During summer the hen-harrier generally frequents the moors and high grounds, killing great numbers of grouse, etc. ; in the winter it hunts more in the lower part of the country. When hunting it flies low, and quarters the ground as carefully as an old pointer. C. St. J. 104 WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS CHAP. bird, the hawk darts rapidly to a height of about twenty feet, hovers for a moment, and then comes down with unerring aim on his victim, striking dead with a single blow partridge or pheasant, grouse or black-cock, and showing a strength not to be expected from his light figure and slender though sharp talons. I saw on a hill-side in Ross-shire a hen-harrier strike a heath hen. I instantly drove him away, but too late, as the head of the bird was cut as clean off by the single stroke as if done with a knife. On another day, when passing over the hill in the spring, I was attended by a hen-harrier for some time, who struck down and killed two hen grouse that I had put up. Both these birds I contrived to take from him ; but a third grouse rose, and was killed and carried off over the brow of a hill before I could get up to him. There is no bird more difficult to shoot than this. Hunting always in the open country, though appearing intent on nothing but his game, the wary bird, with an instinctive knowledge of the range of shot, will keep always just out of reach, and frequently carry off before your very face the partridge you have flushed, and perhaps wounded. There is a diversity of opinion whether the hawk commonly called the ringtail is the female of the hen-harrier. I have, however, no doubt at all on the subject. The ringtail is nothing more than the female or young bird. The male does not put on his blue and white plumage till he is a year old. I have frequently found the nest both on the mountain, where they build in a patch of rough heather, generally by the side of a burn, and also in a furze-bush. Though very destructive to grouse and other game, this bird has one redeeming quality, which is, that he is a most skilful rat-catcher. Skimming silently and rapidly through a rickyard, he seizes on any incautious rat who may be exposed to view ; and from the habit this hawk has of hunting very late in the evening, many of these vermin fall to his share. Though of so small and light a frame, the hen-harrier strikes down a mallard without difficulty ; and the marsh and swamp are his favourite hunting-grounds. Quick enough to catch a snipe, and strong enough to kill a mallard, nothing escapes him. Although so courageous in pursuit of game, he is a wild, untameable bird in captivity ; and x i THE SPA RRO IV HA WK 105 though I have sometimes endeavoured to tame one, I could never succeed in rendering him at all familiar. As he disdains to eat any animal not killed by himself, he is a very difficult bird to trap. The best chance of catching him is in what is called a pole-trap, placed on a high post in the middle of an open part of the country ; for this hawk has (in common with many others) the habit of perching on upright railings and posts, particularly as in the open plains, where he principally hunts, there are but few trees, and he seldom perches on the ground. His flight is leisurely and slow when searching for game ; but his dart, when he has discovered his prey, is incon- ceivably rapid and certain. There is another most destructive kind of hawk who frequently pays us a visit the sparrowhawk. 1 Not content with the partridges and other fer