SPORTING RAMBLES ROUND ABOUT SIMLA. 6*3 



quaintly assures us that there is nothing of guile in its nature) that, 

 when once ou the wing, it seems to have a very good notion of 

 •where the guns are and how they are to be avoided. I once saw 

 the sight that seems to have impressed '* Mountaineer" so, and small 

 wonder — a cock moonal, his peacock-erect sailing across a valley, 

 with all his gorgeous plumage shivering and shimmering in the sun 

 with a curious vibratory movement, A very living glittering rain- 

 bow it was : a sight that almost took your breath away. I Was with 

 a companion who did not shoot himself and would rather discourage 

 shooting in others. 1 am happy to say, though, that he could play 

 as good a knife and fork game as any of our party when a pheasant 

 was on the table. " What on earth is that ? " he said. " Why, that 

 is a cock moonal," said I, somewhat testily, a bird he knew I very 

 much wanted to get a specimen of. " And do you mean to say you 

 would be brute enough to shoot that glorious thing?" he asked ; and 

 for once I almost doubted whether there might not be something in 

 what he said. The kalij and the koklass I will dismiss with but a 

 few words, not because there is not much to be said about them, or 

 that they are unimportant to the Simla visitor. Quite the contrary 

 is the case. They will form the mainstay of your larder and give 

 you most of your sport. Both birds, if not old roosters and properly 

 kept (you can hang them well nigh a week at that time of the year), 

 are most excellent eating, every bit as good as an English pheasaut 

 in my opinion. And both give excellent aport. The two are found 

 in somewhat different ground, as I have before stated, but the mode 

 of shooting them is much the same. The guns are below and the 

 dogs and one or two men above. The ever welcome short bark, 

 followed by a hurried "clinking" of the frightened bird, is heard 

 above, " Ata, Sahib," " Ata, Sahib/' rings down through the trees, 

 followed almost instantaneously by a rushing thunderbolt to your 

 right or left, or coming straight for you out of the trees in your 

 front ; then somehow your gun goes off, and, if you are on the spot 

 that morning, a crash is heard through the tops of the trees below 

 you, and your faithful retriever is soon seen proudly wagging his 

 tail with the bird in his mouth. You do not very often come across 

 either of these birds collected together in more than twos or threes. 

 Sometimes, however, you will be fortunate enough to light on a 

 regular " hot corner," and have five or six down on you more rapidly 

 than you can well load. Those are moments to live for. The joy 

 of battle is yours. Every nerve is braced, every sense strung at 



