170 DARING OF THK GOSHAWK. 



firm as a rock, one of the birds flew up from the ground, 

 and, to the no small wonderment of the gallant officer, as 

 also no doubt to that of bis well-trained dog, actually 

 perched on the back of the latter. 



When Partridge-shooting in the Peninsula, one is at 

 times annoyed by the presence of the Goshawk, the mortal 

 enemy of those birds. On one occasion I bad shot a brace 

 of Partridges, right and left. "Whilst reloading, something 

 passed close by my ear with the rush of a whirlwind, and, 

 on looking up, I saw a (loshawk in the very act of pouncing 

 on one of mv birds that was king dead within less than 



* tf O 



thirty paces of where I stood, and which, to my no small 

 mortification, it bore triumphantly away in its talons. 

 Similar instances of the daring of the Goshawk an- not 

 at all uncommon. At times, indeed, it will " stoop" to a 

 hare under the very nose of the gunner; of which more 

 than one example is on record. 



Partridges are frequently taken in nets in Scandinavia. 

 One kind, called the ,S//<7,-,Y//7. is similarly constructed, 

 though smaller, to that previously spoken of for the 

 capture of the Capercali and the Ulaek-Cock. This is set 

 in a y.ig/au -form amongst low bushes, etc., where the birds, 

 after the dispersal of the covey, are known to have taken 

 refuge. And if the fouler, after remaining quiet for a 

 while, then imitates their call-note with his " Kapphons- 

 pipa," they will presently respond, and of themselves run 

 into the toils. 



Another kind of net is called the Tiru,, signifying a 

 drag-net. It is usually of a quadrangular shape, hut its 

 si/c varies considerably. Commonly. howe\er, it is about 

 12 feet in diameter, \\ ith meshes ~1 : \ inches square. Two 

 lines, of from 1C to 18 feet in length, are attached to 

 the foremost corners of tin- net. When the dog points, 

 tuomen, one on each side, draw the " Tirass" ,,\ ,-r the 

 spot \\liere the co\c\ is supposed to lie ; and as t be after- 



