214 A^J ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLE. 



I have always found them a very difficult bird to shoot. I never could 

 get a sitting shot at them, though I have tried every method of approaching 

 them — running down upon them under sail, rowing to them, or drifting in a 

 minute punt. I have had most success by coming in upon them from the 

 sea in a small boat. They invariably take wing when you get within from 

 a hundred yards to a quarter of a mile. The moment you hear their music 

 begin loudly to sound, drop your oars, seize your gun; there you see the 

 large flock rising like a black cloud off the water. Now they fly in a long 

 straggling body to windward — there they turn! — here they come — look out! 

 The main flock passes by out of shot; never mind, here's a small party 

 coming straight for us; in a moment they are whistling past the boat with 

 the swiftness of shot; no time for a poking aim; bang! hurra! — there's a 

 pair of them. Load again; that shot has broken up the large flock, and 

 small bodies are flying about in all directions; you will soon get another shot: 

 after that they will probably fly out to sea. This is a fortunate day; but I 

 have often had the mortification of seeing them all fly off to sea without 

 obtaining a single shot at them. 



From the various plumage of the male, female, winter, summer, young, 

 and adult, there is a wonderful variety exhibited wherever many of these 

 birds are congregated. 



lona, April, 1852. 



(To he continued.) 



AN ORNITHOLOGICAL E AMBLE NEAR LEEDS. 



BY HENRY FERRIS, ESQ. 



Every naturalist will acknowledge that few places are less favourable to the 

 practical study of ornithology, or any other branch of Natural History, than 

 a large manufacturing town; more especially when one's only time for the said 

 study is before seven o'clock in the morning, and after eight at night. In 

 such a town, swarming with population, where countless tall chimneys day 

 after day vomit forth volumes of smoke, obscuring the sky, and giving birth 

 to whole showers of soot; where the few unfortunate trees and plants are 

 but dirty, miserable distortions; and where the very snoiv is speckled as it 

 falls ; in such a situation, and in few more than such, do the works of 

 Nature appear extinguished by those of Man. Well were it, if these baneful 

 effects were confined to the limits of the town itself; but, on the contrary, 

 they extend for miles round; so that to get fairly into the untainted air and 

 green fields of the country, requires at least an hour's walk. But all these 

 difficulties are not entirely insurmountable to an enthusiastic naturalist, who, 

 in summer at least, may, by early rising, now and then contrive to lose 

 himself amongst the scenes he loves. 



It was under such circumstances as these that I started, on the twenty- 

 first of fourth month last year, in company with a friend, for an ornithological 



