HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



the road with meteoric speed ; but, as I have hinted pre- 

 viously, if you really want a " bag " you will have to stalk 

 and " pot " them, guided thereto by their low plaintive call, 

 which, by the way, is deceptive and ventriloquistic as to 

 distance. Twelve years ago I used to be able to secure 

 plenty of spotted doves around the estate, and occasionally 

 a bronze-wing. Now, however, as there is little natural 

 cover left, even the spotted dove has become scarce, and I 

 don't see a bronze-wing once in a year. I have more than 

 once seen a bronze-wing fly through the whole length of 

 my front verandah (78 feet). Their speed is terrific, and 

 they cannot always stop or guide themselves, for they have 

 been known often enough to dash against a bullock-cart 

 cover on a jungle road, killing themselves on the spot. 



There is an estate bungalow in the Madulkele District, 

 situated on a small plateau, so outlined by trees that, at 

 a distance, its whitewashed walls present the appearance of 

 a gap amongst them. Pigeons on flight passing that way 

 make for the apparent gap, dash against the wall and are 

 instantly killed. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. J. Robinson for the following 

 little experience in Uva low country with bronze-wings. 

 He says : " I was out after quail, and when approaching a 

 bit of forest I saw a few bronze-wings feeding on some 

 fruit trees. I cautiously got as near as I could and sent 

 my coolies round to beat through the forest towards me, 

 with the result that I enjoyed a most perfect quarter of 

 an hour's sport, bagging 17 bronze-wings and 2 imperial 

 green pigeons as they were driven over or past me, whilst 

 quite other 1 5 bronze-wings escaped unshot at. In twenty- 

 nine years' wanderings I have never before seen so many 

 of these lovely pigeons together." 



I remember once, on my way to visit a neighbour, 



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