PARTRIDGES, PHEASANTS, HARES, ETC. 83 



an early start ; they were fairly divided, and yet on one of the 

 party his share had the effect of causing him, an old deer- 

 stalker, to mistake mutton for venison on a sky line not a 

 quarter of a mile distant, while for about half an hour after 

 lunch we all three shot very badly ; so " 'ware " champagne in 

 the field is our advice. 



The best lunch cart we ever saw was invented by our 

 friend Sir Edward Lawson, of Hall Barn ; it started in life 

 as an Irish car, only to be developed into something much 

 better : it has a place for eatables, an ice-well, and two seats 

 and benches, which take to pieces and pack into the car. 

 When in use the usual seats are the buffets, the boards on 

 either side on which the feet should rest are tables, at which 

 the benches enable the shooters to sit and eat in great 

 comfort. 



Partridges shot under a kite do not give anything like the 

 same sport offered by grouse ; but the imitation hawk is worked 

 as much as possible in a similar manner, allowance being made 

 for the different nature of the ground to be kited. When 

 well done, the birds usually seek refuge in hedgerows, from 

 which they rise in great fear, while offering the easiest of 

 shots, but unless birds be wanted for the larder and a drive 

 cannot be arranged, it is not a sport to be commended, 

 although one or two days in a season do no harm, and are 

 all very well if just two friends want some birds, which can be 

 got in no other way. 



Come we now to the pheasant, and in emulation of that 

 wonderful scribe so mockingly yet so pleasantly told of by 

 the late Mr. Bromley Davenport, let us "seek the rocketer 

 in his lair " ; were it not for his unimpeachable authority, 

 it would be well-nigh impossible to believe such nonsense 

 could ever have been penned or printed. Editors of provincial 

 newspapers are, however, often of a confiding turn of mind, 

 and we remember a good laugh our party had years ago, 

 at the expense of a local journal in Scotland. One of us 



