204 GAME PRESERVERS AND BIRD PRESERVERS. 



to handle the young frog they were about to 

 impale on their hook. It is much more intense 

 astonishment than agony which it expresses. 

 The shock seems to have stunned its faculties. 

 It says plainly, ' Where am I ? what has hap- 

 pened ? ' And a tap on the head ends its suf- 

 ferings. 



As birds cannot extract the shot, those hit 

 in the body must die soon or perfectly recover. 



We remember once seeing a bad shot ap- 

 parently miss two cock pheasants, which we 

 marked into a little patch of gorse. On going 

 to beat them out they were both picked up 

 dead. 



Then sportsmen are directly accused of 

 finding pleasure in inflicting pain and suffering. 



So, if it could be revealed to us that birds 

 do not suffer at all when shot, but in a happy 

 ecstasy pass to another existence (and if, as an 

 American poet, writes — 



All that we see or seem 



Is but a dream within a dream, 



