CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 1/9 



the embankment, behind which we expected to find 

 most of the flock. Like this we got to within sixty 

 or seventy yards of them, when up got a fine flock 

 of some twenty-five to thirty birds, I had No. 4 

 shot in my right barrel and B.B. in the left; the 

 chance was one that never comes a second time. I 

 had plenty of time to think which barrel I would 

 give them, as they seemed so uncommonly slow 

 after Snipe ; so, when they had got well into the air, 

 and havino- trot the heads and necks of about half-a- 

 dozen well covered, I pulled the trigger of the left 

 barrel, when what do you think happened ? Why a 

 miss-fire ! Nice wasn't it, reader ? Would you 

 have lost your temper do you think ? I think it 

 quite possible you might have done. This result, so 

 utterly unexpected, I must say flurried me, but there 

 was another flock a little on the left of me which 

 rose a second or so later than those I had just fired 

 at, so turning round towards them, I let them have 

 my right barrel with No. 4 ; the result was not 

 apparent at first, for they all flew away quite uncon- 

 cernedly, when lo, and behold ! one began to 

 separate himself from the rest of the flock, proving 

 clearly to our minds that he was wounded. 



John instantly became very excited, for as we 

 watched the bird got lower and lower till at 

 last he came thump down on the bog about a 

 quarter of a mile away. John said " He's down, 

 Colonel, he's down ! I have him marked, get ready, 

 quick, or the budd (as he called it) will get into the 

 river." So we hurried alono- over the bogf, I in 



