l6o GAME-BIRDS AT HOME. 



had never read a line of it — a painfiH experience 

 that many an author has to go through. Instead 

 of advancing on the flock as fast as possible with 

 his dog at heel so as to keep him fresh, he began 

 to sneak slowly for a sure shot when the quail 

 rose. And he sent the dog ahead when he 

 already knew where the game was, whereas, on 

 account of the scarcity of water and the hot, dry 

 air of early winter days in the south which soon 

 spoil the scent of the best ones, a dog should 

 never be used either to point or retrieve these 

 birds when you can as well do it yourself. 



The dog drew to a pretty point on the birds 

 over a hundred yards away. But it was exactly 

 what you don't want for these quails. A dog as 

 steady as one should be for all Eastern game 

 will be nowhere in a stern-chase after these little 

 chaps, and a stern-chase is the only kind you 

 get. Though the dog was pointing by scent, 

 most of the flock was in plain view. It was 

 composed of dozens of coveys, and scattered 

 along the base of the hill for seventy yards or 

 more. Between the low bushes dark lines of 

 five to ten birds, one behind the other, were 

 winding up the hill. Here and there the lines 



