178 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



Commencing operations by walking across a 

 turnip-field, two or three coveys spring wildly 

 from the farther end, and fly, as I expect, to the 

 adjoining common, where they are marked down 

 on a brow thickly clothed with furze. Hastening 

 towards them with spaniels at heel, up jumps a 

 hare under my nose, then another, then a rabbit. 

 I reload rapidly, and on reaching the gorse " put 

 in'' the dogs. Whirr ! there goes a partridge ! The 

 spaniels drop to the report of my gun, but the 

 fluttering wings of the dying bird rouse two of his 

 neighbours before I am ready, and away they fly, 

 screaming loudly. The remainder are flushed in 

 detail, and I succeed in securing the greater part 

 of them. Now for the next covey. They were 

 marked down in that little hollow where the 

 heather is longei' than usual — a beautiful spot ! 

 But before I reach it, up they all spring in an un- 

 expected quarter; that cunning old patriarch at 

 their head had cleverly called them together to 

 a naked part of the hill, from whence he could 

 observe my manoeuvres, and a random shot gent 

 after him with hearty good will proved totally in- 

 efiective. 



Now the spaniels are worming through the thick 

 sedges on either side of the brook which intersects 

 the moor, and by their bustling anxiety it is easy 

 to see that game is afoot. Keeping well in front 



