SPORT WITH WOUNDED BIRDS. 13 



place of refuge. Still, however, the firing was 

 kept up on coots, divers, and water-hens, which, 

 being hardly allowed a moment's pause to rest 

 their weary wings on the bosom of the water, 

 were forced to fly round and round, thus afford- 

 ing sport after the ducks and teal had all sought 

 shelter at a distance. "VVlien the Meer and his 

 sons were tired of slaughter, much'amusement 

 was caused by their hiped retrievers in endea- 

 vours to catch wounded birds, many of which 

 were swimming about with broken wings, and 

 afforded good sport, as their pursuers, in wading 

 after them, occasionally popped heels over head 

 into deep holes, to the manifest entertainment 

 of the Meer and his sons ; but the Sindlii-s are a 

 good-humoured race, and though the water was 

 cold they took their duckings in very good part. 

 Thus ended our grand water fowl shikar. 



During the months preceding the inundation 

 the Kulloree is nearly dry; indeed, it is a great 

 pity that the water is not altogether excluded 

 from it, as some thousand acres of the most pro- 

 ductive land in the Khyrpoor territory are at 

 present sacrificed for a few days' sport. About 

 this time the news was received of a tiger 

 having crossed from the Larkhana side and 



