CHAP. xiii. A PURSUIT. 261 



about, as if inviting him to pursue it : " I stood a 

 few seconds," says Edward, " considering whether I 

 would follow or not ; then off I started, determined 

 to have it. Away went the bird, twiddling and 

 straddling, and away I followed in hot pursuit. 

 Eound and round the sand hillocks we scrambled 

 until I was perfectly wearied. Nothing but the 

 novelty of the affair could have kept me in pursuit of 

 the wounded bird. 



" In this way we continued, until I saw that I 

 could make nothing of it by fair means ; so I doubled 

 round and met it fair in front. I was about to take 

 hold of it, when, to my amazement, it rose and flew. 

 Its flight, however, was of short duration, as it again 

 suddenly dropped down, and lay on the sand as if 

 dead. * You are mine now at last/ said I, as I ob- 

 served it fall. I accordingly proceeded to take it up, 

 in order to put it in my pocket. But lo, it rose 

 again and flew away ; when once more it suddenly 

 dropped behind one of the larger hillocks. It was 

 a beautifully -marked specimen, and, fearing lest I 

 should lose it altogether, I determined to put a stop 

 to the wild-goose chase. Having put my gun in 

 readiness, I proceeded in the direction in which the 

 bird fell. But it did not rise. I searched all round, 

 but there was no bird ! I met my friend, and inquired 

 if he had fired at a Eing Dotterel. No, he had only 

 shot at a Tern. ' But, by the by/ he added, ' I found 

 a nest and the young of that bird as I came along/ 



