AUTUMN SHOOTING. 319 



and low spots full of rank grass with briers, low bushes, 

 and wintergreens or cranberries, such being the places in 

 which they love to roost. 



The edges of the fields, along the hedgerows, in the 

 angles of the snake-fences, or by the wall-sides, where 

 sumachs and coarse weeds grow rank and tall, if the 

 farmer be a careless one, and on the bushy verges of large 

 woodlands, the bevies will generally be found. These places 

 should, therefore, be the first beat, and then the middle of 

 the fields, in which the birds comparatively seldom lie. 



When the dogs find their game, it is easy for a good 

 sportsman to judge by the attitude and action of the 

 animal, what game it is, whether wild or tame, stationary 

 or on the move. If the pointer stands like a statue, with 

 his stern outstretched and rigid, his whole frame quivering 

 with nervous excitement, his eye glaring and his lip slaver- 

 ing, the game is close before him. If he waver, wag 

 his stern wistfully, and look back at his master, he is 

 doubtful whether the game have not gone, or is not far 

 away. If he crouch low, and show an eager and almost 

 uncontrollable desire to crawl forward on his belly, there 

 is surely a running bevy before him. 



In the first case, all that is necessary is to take such a di- 

 rection in coming up to him, as will enable you to command 

 a fair shot as the birds rise, and as will probably drive 

 them in the direction of the ground which you propose to 

 beat hereafter, and in which you would prefer to have 

 them. That is, of course, covert of some kind the easiest 

 you can select, or brakes which you know or shrewdly 

 suspect to contain woodcock. 



