WILD TllIKKV HUNTING. 25 



much — one, that grated unnaturally on the poor bird's 

 cur — but not so, — thej lead him to his doom, tilling his 

 heart with hope and love. 



To the bird there is one strange incongruity in the 

 " call '" — never before has he gone so far with so little 

 success ; but the note is perfect, the time most nicely 

 given. 



Again he rolls forth a loud response, and listens — 

 yet no answer : his progress is still slow. 



The cluck again greets his ear ; there was a slight 

 quaver attached to it this time, like the forming of a 

 second note ; he is nearing his object of pursuit, and 

 with an energetic "call ; '' he rushes forward, his long 

 neck stretched out, and his head moving inquiringly from 

 side to side. 



No longer going round the various obstacles he 

 meets with in his path, but impatiently flying over them, 

 he comes to an open space, and stops. 



Some six hundred yards fivtm where he stands may 

 be seen a fallen tree ; you can observe some green 

 brush, that looks as if it grew out of the very decayed 

 wood ; in this " brush " is hidden away the deadly fowl- 

 ing piece, and its muzzle is protruding towards the open 

 ground. Behind it is the hunter, flat upon the ground, 

 yet so placed that the weapon is at his shoulder.* Ho 

 seems to be as dead as the tree in front of him. Could 

 you watch him closely, you would perceive that he 

 scarcely winks for fear of alarmiiiir his game. 



