SHOT WHEN TREED. 153 



their taking wing, as the case might be. Many of the 

 northern chasseurs thus kill the Dal-Ripa — whilst sitting, 

 I mean — with their pea-rifles, and that witliout rest of 

 any kind. Elg, my follower, assured me, indeed, he has 

 shot as many as eight or nine of these birds in the course 

 of a very few hours. 



The best time to shoot the Dal-E,ij)a in the way 

 mentioned is soon after a fall of snow, for its tracks being 

 then quite fresli, and one's own movements conducted 

 noiselessly, it is not difficult to approach it. Not so at 

 all times, however ; for if the tracks be old and numerous, 

 it requires an experienced eye to follow them with cer- 

 tainty and dispatch ; and should tliere be the slightest 

 crust on the surface of the snow, the bird, from hearing 

 it crackle under one's feet, usually takes the alarm and 

 movgs off. 



The Dal-Ripa is not unfrequently shot in the day- 

 time when "treed." "Prom the time that these birds 

 begin, in the spring, to perch in the birch-trees," says M. 

 Earth, " they partly lose their natural shyness ; but still 

 great caution is necessary in stalking them. They care 

 very little for the noise made by the fowler wlien walking 

 on the frozen snow, provided he himself keeps out of 

 sight. Should this be impracticable, however, he must at 

 least contrive to have something — Avere it only a single 

 twig — between himself and them. They are then less 

 alarmed than if his whole person were exposed, for if that 

 should be the case they usually take wing at once, let the 

 distance be ever so great." 



I was told by Elg, moreover, that at Brunberget, in 

 the Wermeland Finn forests,* there was a lofty aspen tree 



* So called from numbers of Fliilanders having located themselves 

 there during the reign of Charles IX., King of Sweden, who, being desirons 

 (if peopling that p.irt of the couutry, held out certain iuducements to 



