THE RTSSJA. 173 



birds begin to rim, he follows leisurely after. Should 

 they show a disposition to turn to the right or left, he 

 ojiposes the horse to tlicm and heads them back again. 

 When tliey have advanced to within the arms of the net, 

 the speed of the horse may be increased ; and wlien they 

 have reached the ' Ryssja' itself, they commonly run into 

 it of their own accord. As soon as the last bird is within 

 the toils, the fowler leaves his horse, and, hurrying to the 

 net, pulls up the stakes by which it is pinned to the 

 ground; thus securing the prize. The man then places 

 the captives in the LyJda, and, after fastening this to his 

 saddle-bow, proceeds in search of fi*esh adventures. 



"The great difficulty attendant on thus netting 

 Partridges," the Count goes on to say, " is to sight 

 them in the first instance, though this is partly 

 obviated by the use of a pocket-telescope. In other 

 respects the operation is generallj'' very easy. Not so at 

 all times, however. Early in the autumn, for instance. 

 Partridges are so fearless that it is no easy matter to get 

 them out of the way of the horse otherwise than by kick- 

 ing the ground with one's feet, so that the dust flies over 

 them. Occasionally, indeed, one is obliged to manoeuvre 

 the horse to within the wings of the net, or, it may be, 

 even up to the very entrance of the ' Ryssja.' Late in the 

 autumn, on the contrary, these birds are often so very 

 wild that it is needful, when driving them, to keep at a 

 distance of from two hundred to three hundred paces ; and, 

 however improbable it may seem, I have myself known 

 them to take wing from the mere circumstance of my 

 turning the horse's head towards them instead of his hind 

 quarters. If they have been much shot at previously,' 

 they are more difficult of capture ; and if there be a lame 

 bird in the covey, one must be in the highest degree careful, 

 for, should it be unable to keep up with the rest, it makes 

 use of its wings, and, so soon as one flies, the others are 



