144 O* er Crag and Torrent 



Pheasants were now rising at pleasant 

 intervals, and as the beaters got amongst the 

 hollies a couple more woodcock were flushed. 

 One was brought to bag, but the other 

 doubled back and escaped for the nonce. 

 The birds were rising more thickly now, and 

 the shooting became pretty lively. At length 

 this first beat was finished, and the result 

 given as fifty-three pheasants, two woodcock, 

 and five rabbits. On the beaters making a 

 fresh start four guns having again gone on 

 to the end it was soon evident that the 

 birds had run forward as only an occasional 

 shot offered. Another woodcock, however, 

 got out of the lower boundary fence of the 

 wood, and the gun with the beaters cut him 

 over. Where the wood began to narrow 

 slightly, the beaters were halted and 

 instructed to keep perfect silence, but to 

 keep their sticks constantly tapping, whilst 

 all the six guns went on, and took up their 



