110 EEMIXISCEXCES OF A SPOKTSM.iX. 



description of mere wastes, however, are very extensive. 

 They occupy the northern side of the country. It is 

 computed that these deserted tracts contain not less 

 than 110,000 acres, some parts of which, are as wild 

 and picturesque as some of the moors in Scotland, and 

 it is in this tract of land, parts of which have been 

 brought into cultivationj and in these heaths and valleys, 

 the latter of which are well watered, that the black 

 game is found. Lord Delaware, who resides at Buck- 

 hurst, has a paramountship or right of sporting over a 

 great extent of this wild district, excepting on those 

 parts which are private property. We remained for a 

 few days at the house of my friend's sister-in-law, and 

 during this period, I had some very tolerable shooting ; 

 but we found the black game shy and wild, at which we 

 were much surprised, as we were the only sportsmen 

 who commenced shooting on the above estate on the 

 20th of August. On the first day I counted eleven 

 black cocks that were together, out of shot, and took so 

 long a flight that we could never find them again, and 

 if we had not found some young birds the last day or 

 two, we should have felt much dissatisfied with our ill 

 success. The first shot I got was at the black cock 

 mentioned above. He lay well to the dogs in some 

 high and rough sedgy cover. I think the black cock 

 flies much like the wild duck, and therefore is an easy 



refuge for the black game which were not introdiiced until about seventy 

 years ago. Besides, at that time, the covers were quiet, there being no 

 fox-hounds in the country. Eut as soon as gentlemen took a fancy to 

 tliis country and began to enclose, black game began to decrease and 

 are now scarce. They are very shy birds, and if much disturbed, forsake 

 their haunts. If you have not extensive fir plantations, and a large part 

 of heath tract, as the Earls of Liverpool and Abergavenny, that are sel- 

 dom disturbed, you cannot preserve these birds. 



