128 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



It is during the autumnal migration of the 

 larks, which generally commences about the 20th 

 of September, and continues until the end of Oc- 

 tober, that this mode of warfare is in voj^ue. The 

 direction taken by the larks in this periodical 

 flight is exactly the reverse of that observed by 

 almost all the warblers at the same season, being 

 from east to west ; and a moderate breeze from 

 the latter point, accompanied by sunshine, ensures 

 what is called "good sport'' by those who can 

 find amusement in this occupation. The fields in 

 the neighbourhood of the coast on both sides of 

 the town, are haunted by various parties of gun- 

 ners from the hour of sunrise until ten or eleven 

 o'clock, about which time the great flights of 

 larks cease or diminish, and there is no small de- 

 gree of competition among the performers for 

 what are considered the best places; four or five 

 parties sometimes occupying one field, and as 

 many shooters being attached to one lark-glass: 

 but notwithstanding the crowd, and the noise of 

 voices mingled with the continual roar of guns, 

 the infatuated birds advance stupidly to their 

 doom, hover in numbers over the decoy, and pre- 

 sent the easiest possible mark to the veriest tyro 

 that ever pulled a trigger. 



To any one, however, witnessing it for the first 

 time, the spectacle is sufiiciently curious. Per- 



