168 A DAY AFTER SMALL GAME. 



game-bag. I call them stray quails, because the common grey 

 quail, being a migratory bird, is not found in any numbers 

 except during a few weeks in the spring and autumn, 

 although varieties called the rain-quail and bush-quail are 

 met with at other times, the former only during the rainy 

 season, the latter at any time, in bush jungle. 



After quitting the fields, we beat through a sedgy swamp, 

 where some long-bills, including several little jack-snipe, are 

 picked up, whilst others twist away unscathed by our erratic 

 shots. Our quota of snipe is added to by one or two of the 

 painted variety, which rise from the longer reedy grass more 

 like a big butterfly than a game-bird. On nearing a bushy 

 corner of the "jheel" (marsh), the welcome cry, "Mark wood- 

 cock," comes from .ZEsculapius on the right of the line ; and 

 we have the satisfaction of seeing this much-prized bird alight 

 in a thicket some distance ahead, where it is again flushed 

 and falls to the gun of the " G. T." 



Our beat now leads through long grass, beside a clear 

 pebbly stream called the Sooswa, that derives its name from 

 its abounding with water-cresses, broad luxuriant patches of 

 which might be seen extending along its bed, sometimes for 

 fifty yards or more in length. We have not proceeded far 

 when " whir-r whir-r " go a brace of black partridge (fran- 

 colin), as they rise high over the grass and make away with 

 the dashing straightforward flight which is their wont. 

 " Bang, bang " on the right goes our medical adviser, before 

 whose unerring barrels they are brought down in capital 

 form, for he is as good a hand with his sporting implements 

 as he is known to be with those of his craft. 



A fair number of black partridges are accounted for ere we 

 reach a more jungly part of our beat, when the cheery crow- 

 ing of jungle-fowl and the musical cry of an old peacock 

 advise us that we are likely to add variety to our bag. Pres- 

 ently there is a " yap yap " from the dogs, followed by such 

 a clucking and general disturbance among the little cocks and 



