GUINEA-FOWL SHOOTING 69 



lent shelter for guinea-fowls ; the bulbs and roots 

 of which they are so fond were plentiful; and we 

 were pretty certain of finding these fine birds some- 

 where in this locality. On our way home we came 

 across unmistakable traces of a small flock of guinea- 

 fowl — the ground was freshly ploughed up in their 

 eager search for their favourite bulb — and presently 

 Lassie, our pointer, getting well on the scent, we got 

 off our horses and very quietly followed her. The 

 pointer crept so quietly among the birds (now taking 

 their mid-day rest) that they were cowed, and, the 

 troop being mostly young, the old birds refrained 

 from running off at twenty miles an hour, as they 

 too often will do. Lassie now stood rigidly at point, 

 and at length, as I moved forward, an old bird got 

 up within ten yards and shortly fell an easy victim 

 to my right barrel. The South African guinea-fowl 

 is a lusty, heavy bird — a good deal bigger than his 

 English relation — he is not a quick riser, and is one 

 of the easiest of feathered objects to shoot, if you 

 can but make him leave the earth. Thirty yards 

 further on another old bird got up, and she, too, was 

 secured. Meanwhile, not far to my right, Mackay 

 had got among some of the youngsters, and, walking 

 them up as they squatted terror-stricken, was not 

 lonsr in securinoj a brace and a half. 



Presently Lassie, who had been quartering among 

 some thickish bush nearer the river, put up another 



