BAY-BIRDS. 277 



escape almost scatheless. Alighting only in the open 

 fields, where the thin grass reveals every enemy and 

 exposes every approaching object to their view; 

 readily alarmed at the first symptom of danger, and 

 shunning the slightest familiarity with man, they are 

 impossible to reach except with laborious and pain 

 ful creeping that no sportsman cares to undertake. 

 Not sufficiently gregarious or friendly in their na- 

 ture to desire the company of wooden decoys, they 

 cannot be lured within gunshot ; and it is only 

 through their confidence in their fellow-beasts that 

 their destruction can be accomplished. 



A horse, they know, has no evil design, does not 

 live on plover, and may be permitted to come and 

 go as he pleases ; a horse drawing a wagon is to be 

 pitied, not feared ; and, most fortunately, the birds 

 cannot conceive that a man would be mean enough 

 to hide in that wagon, and drive that horse in an 

 ingenious manner round and round them, every 

 time narrowing the circle till he gets within shot. 

 Man, however, is ready for any subterfuge to gain 

 his plover ; and, seated on the tail-board, or a place 

 behind prepared for the purpose, he steps to the 

 ground the moment the wagon stops, and as the 

 bird immediately rises, fires being often compelled, 

 in spite of his ingenuity, to take a long shot. 



Even in this mode no large number of birds is 

 killed, and by creeping or stalking few indeed are 

 obtained. One inventive genius made an imitation 

 cow of slats and canvas painted to represent the 

 living animal, and, mounting it upon his shoulders, 



