204 FEATHERED GAME 



often coming within ten feet of me and all the 

 time conversing in its own tongue with soft, 

 twittering notes. What a graceful creature it 

 was, and how daintily it stepped! This was 

 just before the haying season. In two weeks' 

 time I went again to the same place and could 

 not get within a hundred yards of any bird. 

 It takes but little to teach them caution. Soon 

 they will fly at the first sight of man; and no 

 wonder, for once the hay is gathered in, all is 

 ready to hunt and harry them from their favor- 

 ite fields. The farmers' boys have usually had 

 about two weeks of fun with the Uplands when 

 the shooting season commences here (Maine), 

 on August first, and as they are the first game 

 birds to come into season they are greatly ap- 

 preciated and eagerly hunted the instant the 

 law is off. During this month they are found 

 in the lately-mown hayfields, where hunting Up- 

 lands in the glare of August's sun with never a 

 tree for shelter is rather warm work. Early in 

 the morning, some time before daylight, they 

 may be heard as they wheel about in the black- 

 ness overhead, all the time sending down their 

 gurgling call. Long before the first streak of 

 light has shot across the sky they are busily en- 



