70 FIELD SHOOTING. 



rush they may be knocked down, trampled over 

 by scores of hoofs, and very likely killed. Wheu 

 shooting in these vast pastures, I take care to 

 give the herds a wide berth, and keep well away 

 from them. Even then they will sometimes begin 

 to move towards the dogs, in which case I put 

 the setters or pointers, as the case may be, into 

 the buggy as soon as possible, and drive off out 

 of the sight of the herd. In shooting grouse in 

 Illinois, Iowa, and the other prairie States, the 

 sportsman should take water in his buggy or 

 wagon for himself and his dogs. The prairies 

 are very spacious, the water-courses wide apart, 

 the droughts sometimes long and severe. If he 

 thinks to find water in natural places for him- 

 self and his dogs, which need it oftener and 

 more than he, they will be very thirsty before 

 he reaches any. If he comes to a house at such 

 times, he will find that water is the most scarce 

 and precious thing about the place. The well is 

 all but dry. The farmer's horses are on short 

 allowance. His milch cows are stinted, and stand 

 lowing round the empty trough at the well half 

 the night long. The people sometimes, in very 

 dry seasons, have to haul water from a distance, 

 as their own wells become dry, and their cuttle 



