CAME BIRDS. 121 



then exceedingly shy ; in vain may the sportsman pursue them, 

 unless by surprise he can break or scatter the covey. About the 

 middle of February they begin to pair. In June they lay, and the 

 young are excluded about the middle of July, and in about three 

 weeks are capable of flying. This is one of the few birds known 

 under the denomination of game, and protected by the legislature. 

 The partridge season commences on the first of September, and 

 ends on the first of February. They occasionally vary in the 

 colour of their plumage; buff- coloured and white are not un- 

 common. 



"On the first day of partridge shooting, being visited by two 

 friends, after a cordial shake of the hand, we partook of a hasty 

 and hearty breakfast, consisting of coffee, eggs, beefsteaks, and 

 ale, and then sallied forth, with a couple of brace of dogs at our 

 heels, and our double-barrels in the best possible order ; scarcely 

 had we entered the stubble, when Juno, a staunch old pointer, 

 winded the game, and at once became as stiff and motionless as a 

 statue, her eyes almost bursting from their sockets, her nostrils 

 distended, in a state which betrayed the painful anxiety of her 

 mind, her front and hind foot, placed, as if she was afraid that her 

 silent tread may cause alarm, and her tail standing as straight 

 and stiff as a quarter-staff; she seemed in agony, awaiting some 

 relieving tones of encouragement from her master, when the wel- 

 come words, * To ho !' convinced her that she had acquainted 

 him that birds were nigh. The other dogs backed beautifully, 

 and although they seemed to envy Juno's sagacity and perseve- 

 rance, yet they knew their duty too well to interrupt her ; conse- 

 quently, throwing themselves into their favourite attitudes, each 

 peculiar to himself, they awaited with caution and patience the 

 advance of their leader. Our sportsmen walked briskly up to the 

 leading dog, and she led us within thirty yards of the covey ; 

 ' O-r-r-r-o-o-o,' and up went about five and twenty birds bang 



bang bang bang bang bang cracked the Joe Mantons, and 



down came three brace of birds, which we picked up and bagged 

 without delay. This was a good beginning, and thus we followed 

 it up till about nine o'clock, when we had bagged twenty brace of 

 partridges and six brace of hares. From nine till two we had 

 harder work, the sun shone in our faces, and we had become some- 

 what fagged ; however, we had three and forty brace, or eighty- 

 six head of game in the bag ; and, now, we betook ourselves to 

 luncheon sandwiches, porter, soda-water, and champaigne, 

 proved a delightful interlude, which we enjoyed in the true gipsy 

 style, under a hedge ; but, alas ! the clouds began to gather, and a 



