370 Mr. W. H. Simpson's Fortnight 



perhaps a few stray Terns and Gulls, on their way to the marshes. 

 Often too the Ruddy Shelduck may be seen, watching its op- 

 portunity for popping unnoticed into its hole in a mound or 

 tumulus. Presently some Bustards are descried on the opposite 

 slopes, and away we gallop towards them. It may so happen 

 that they take the alarm and fly before we are within a quarter 

 of a mile. The Great Bustard almost invai'iably does ; but the 

 Little Bustard, besides being more plentiful, is less wary, and 

 often takes no notice of the araba. Arrived within 200 yards, 

 we commence "great circle sailing," gradually shortening tl^^ 

 distance, though, to the flock, we seem ever going away from 

 them. The pace is now a good trot, and the great thing is to 

 pull up dead when about 40 yards ofi^, firing the instant the 

 birds rise, which they are pretty sure to do as soon as the ma- 

 chine stops. We found by experience that 40 yards was about 

 as close "shaving" as the birds would stand ; and at that distance 

 it was not always a kill, especially if the horses were not per- 

 fectly quiet. If a bird was hit, but not brought down, we gal- 

 loped after him at full speed, when, finding he could not get 

 away from us, he would often crouch, and under these circum- 

 stances it was very difficult to find him. We used to get down 

 from the araba and almost walk over them before they would 

 get up. They ai'e slow risers generally, but when once fairly 

 on the wing, go at a slashing pace. On getting up, the Little 

 Bustard makes an odd rattling noise, very similar to that pro- 

 duced by a bird-scarer, such as is used in gardens. In this 

 description of sport only one person can shoot at a time; but, 

 in fact, there is as much fun to be had, and more skdl to be dis- 

 played, in managing the horses so as to place the araba in a 

 favourable position, than in shooting the game. Our best bag 

 in one day was seven brace, of which number eleven birds were 

 males in splendid plumage. The flesh is dark, and at this sea- 

 son rather strong, but in a hungry country like the Dobrudscha 

 one is not apt to be particular. 



Those portions of the country towards the west which are 

 skirted by the Danube are most abundant in species, and in 

 birds usually accounted rare, that is to say, but seldom met with 

 in Western Europe. The same treeless character prevails here 



