344 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



buttress of a watercourse, with a light screen of 

 foliage through which we could command the top 

 of the ridge. 



The Bustards will never fly against a strong wind 

 for any great distance, and, in common with most 

 birds of our acquaintance, very much object to come 

 straight down the wind if it blows hard; so that 

 Perico always did his best to place the guns so that 

 the birds should come over us with the wind abeam 

 of them. His directions to the shooters were always 

 the same : " Keep as immovable as you can ; as soon 

 as you see the birds, select the biggest ' Barbon,' i. e. 

 old bearded male, that seems to be coming for you, 

 and aim at his beak." Having thus instructed and 

 placed us, off he went, and posting the lad with the 

 quadrupeds well out of sight, detached his lieutenants 

 with orders to watch him, and when he approached 

 the birds to show themselves on either flank. We 

 gunners seldom were called upon for any long 

 exercise of patience, though we were sometimes 

 excited by the approach of some desirable bird, such 

 as a Little Bustard, an Eagle, a Harrier, or a Roller ; 

 but as we were always posted as near as possible to 

 our intended prey, a shot at anything else would 

 have been fatal to our chances, and we contented 

 ourselves with a look at any other birds, a pipe, and 

 expectation. At last " here they come " over the 

 ridge in front of us, generally only just clearing the 

 top as they come in sight ; but if we are in one of 

 the watercourses just mentioned we are of course in 

 a valley, and by the time the birds are within range 

 they will probably be from twenty to fifty yards up in 

 the air. No one who has not tried it would believe 

 how easily these great birds are brought down ; I 

 never used any larger shot than No. 4, and often 



