PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING. 113 



day or two by the pot-hunters, and at times they 

 take a dozen birds from one hedge ; and they 

 usually have more than one hedge to watch. This 

 is an outrage alike on the bird and on the honest 

 sportsman. I have never hesitated to make known 

 my opinion of such proceedings, or to put my boot 

 through any hedge, or tear up any snares found by me 

 while hunting, whether set for partridge, quail, or rab- 

 bits. Give them an even chance, I say, and they will 

 never be entirely run out. Legislators ought to ex- 

 hibit the practice of snaring game-birds as neither 

 honorable nor manly. The course allowed by our 

 game-laws, of killing woodcock and other game so 

 early in the season, will, in a few years, it is feared, be 

 the means of destroying almost every species of game- 

 bird that flies. This should not be allowed ; game- 

 birds should be protected. But about this subject I 

 shall have more to say in another place. 



When the partridge takes to the green covered tree, 

 he usually alights toward the top, and it will be strange 

 if you see him on the tree, and it will be still more 

 strange if you kill him when he flies. Probably no 

 bird is harder to kill on the wing than the partridge as 

 it flies from the top of a high tree. Should he take to 

 the tree in the fall, when the leaves are off, if he is in 

 range of your gun, keep quiet, and look out sharp. 

 Perhaps you will notice on a low limb, or half-way up, 

 what looks like a knot running up to a peak : that is 

 the bird. Unless you are posted you will probably see 

 him a dozen times without knowing him, he imitates 

 the knot and crook so well. If you wait too long be- 



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