A VALUABLE ALLY. 121 



able point. I need liardly tell you that at that 

 moment the hawk was forgotten for the snipe, and 

 it was not until the afternoon, in a distant bog, that 

 I again recognized my little friend, the merlin, ho- 

 vering about, and every now and then appearing 

 about to leave us, but as quickly returning, and 

 evidently hanging on in expectation of our start- 

 ing some of his favourite game. As for the snipe, 

 they lay like stones while he continued overhead ; 

 old Pluto pointed them one after another, even Fan 

 condescended to " back," and I had to kick them 

 up under the nose of the former, as they sprang 

 reluctantly from the rushes, and presented a suc- 

 cession of the most satisfactory shots imaginable ; 

 which was the more gratifying as they had been 

 unusually wild during the previous part of the 

 day. After bagging several, at last one rose at a 

 considerable distance — quite out of shot — and 

 away went the merlin after it. We watched the 

 chase for a long time, both birds appearing 

 equally matched, but they disappeared before it 

 came to a close, and the shades of evening soon 

 afterwards reminded me that I had five miles to 

 walk home before dinner. 



Well, on my return a few days afterwards, there 

 was the merlin again on the same boo:! I could 

 perceive him, as I topped a hill which commanded 

 an extensive view of the country, scudding along 



