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the ball; but you cannot shoot well without nerve and steadiness. Those who cannot avoid being excited will frequently experience great disappointment in the loss of the most favourable opportunities; the only remedy is practice and experience.

The next sport to stalking is lying in wait for deer which are being driven towards you by beaters; and this is as exciting as stalking, perhaps more so, as you see the distant deer advancing, and hear the shouts of the men, and are in breathless expectation of a herd arriving by the pass contiguous to which you are in ambush, with the hope of killing right and left; an achievement which does not frequently fall to the lot of even the most skilful sportsmen. But still as this feat is occasionally accomplished, the hope of success must also co-exist with the opportunity, and produce no little anxiety and excitement in the breast of the zealous and keen sportsman. Indeed, I have seen very experienced sportsmen much excited at the sport, especially when any failure has occurred, owing to mal-adresse on the part of any of the beaters or attendants. Some are so sanguine that they arm themselves with two or three rifles; but these extensive preparations more frequently than otherwise defeat their own object, by producing over-anxiety, and its natural consequence hurry and precipitation; so

that the desire to do too much terminates in nothing being done well.

In awaiting the arrival of deer which are being driven towards you, you must take the greatest care from the moment they come in sight not to move an inch till you are prepared to fire; as they would instantly turn round and face the beaters, rather than approach you, so extraordinary is their instinct when danger is at hand. I nave known a herd of deer charge a whole phalanx of beaters, rather than approach one person with a gun down wind near a pass. I have also known the very best chances lost, owing merely to the whimpering of the deer-hound or retriever which was in the background, the gillie having incautiously allowed him to catch sight of the advancing herd.

The largest and heaviest red-deer in Scotland are said to be on the Island of Jura. On the contiguous Island of Isla there are abundance of fallow-deer; but these, as elsewhere, are very tame and easy of access, and are unworthy of the deer-stalker's attention. This latter place is celebrated for the excellence of its whisky, although Cambleton in Cantire contends with it. Jura is remarkable for three high mountains, which are called the passes of Jura. They are supposed to be 2,420 feet above the level of the sea. Both Jura and Isla afford excellent winter shoot

ing, there being abundance of both woodcocks and wildfowl; the covers along the coast being peculiarly adapted to the former, and the numerous bays and creeks exactly suitable to the latter.

These islands are to the west of Scotland, and within about two hours' sail of Ireland. Both islands are about the same length, Jura being twenty-six miles long, and Isla twenty-seven; the latter eighteen miles in breadth, the former only seven. The sound of Jura is about seven miles broad. Black-game frequently cross the sound to the opposite coast during the time of the corn being in stock (i. e. sheaves), there being little cultivated land on Jura.

Having witnessed their arrival from the sea, I can speak to the fact. The moors on Jura are in appearance as good as any in Scotland; but grouse are not abundant, the ground never having been properly preserved; and the island abounds in flying vermin of all sorts, it being a great breeding place for them, especially for the hoodies. There are some very good salmon rivers, which empty themselves into the sound.

THE ROE AND ROEBUCK.

These elegant little animals abound in many parts of Scotland, and are to be found in woods and plantations. As they are by no means wild, they can very easily be killed, either by having the woods and plantations driven, several guns having been previously placed in the passes (which are generally known to those who are acquainted with the covers); or they may be hunted by one or two couple of hounds, and waited for at their pass as they come round; but, in my humble opinion, it is most wretched sport. They lie so close at times, that you may come within a few yards of them before they will rise; so that you may shoot them easily with small shot.

When out woodcock shooting I have shot them with No. 6.; but this can only be done when you can get a near side-shot, and are able to hit them behind the shoulder. When they are going not easily killed, even

directly from you they are with large shot; and ought not to be shot at, unless you have dogs to pursue them. The shot generally used by amateurs is BB, with which you may kill them at seventy or eighty yards, if you can get a side-shot. If the country were rideable, I should think, with a pack of harriers, they would show excellent sport.

In Dorsetshire, some thirty years ago, I recollect its having been tried, and I believe that it succeeded tolerably well. Some that had been turned out in a park having escaped and bred in the open country, this means of destroying them was resorted to. But I do not believe they do much damage to corn crops, as they live principally upon the young and tender branches of young trees, leaves, and clover.

They are tolerable eating, the flesh being sweet and tender; but they are never fat, and, in my opinion, very inferior to good mutton. The cotelettes are, however, very good, and the haunches, if larded, are eatable with a sauce piquante. The other parts are good for soup, which I rather fancy is the best purpose to which they can be applied, The roe is in rut from the end of October to the middle of November; and, as they go about five months and a half with young, they generally produce about the end of April or beginning of May. They sometimes have two young ones. The roebuck sheds and renews his horns every winter, and in March he may occasionally be seen rubbing them against trees, in order that he may get rid of the skin which covers them. In the second year he has two or three antlers, on the third four or five, and never more. There are a great many

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