48 GAME-BIRDS AT HOME. 



nose moves a few feet and comes to a full stop. 

 There is a heavy Bbbbbbbbbbb in the thicket as 

 you approach the dog, and a broad white breast 

 with wide dashes of jet surrounded by a soft 

 haze of brown wings in rapid stroke mounts into 

 the sunlight above the thicket. Where a prettier 

 mark than the outspread tail it turns to you as it 

 wheels with its bands of brown and black and its 

 tender shades of gray, steering the majestic bird 

 on its swift-winding way ? And what a strange 

 mixture of exultation and pride with regret you 

 feel when out of a cloud of feathers it descends 

 at the report of your gun to the spangled covert 

 below ! 



But there is no time to indulge in feelings, for 

 at the report of your gun out comes another 

 roaring mark with little topknot erect on out- 

 stretched head, black ruffs laid back, and aimed 

 for the thicket you left but a moment ago. Plain 

 open sailing ; and how confident you feel as you 

 raise the gun ! Beware, beware ! Do you not 

 see the white scales of the immortelles tremble, 

 and even the purple corolla of the iron-weed bow 

 in the breeze made by the resounding wings of 

 the swift rover as it skims their tops ? Hold far 



