340 Incidents of Foreign Field Sport. 



cotton teal and as they passed I fired into the 

 " ruck," when two fell and two went away hit, but it 

 was not worth while going after them, especially 

 as I saw some of the peons mark them down 

 and make for them. Further on I fired at and 

 killed a whistling teal, and as its companion 

 would not leave the spot, but kept calling piteously, 

 and circling around, I added it to the bag. I was 

 just thinking it was time to shut up and go home- 

 wards, when a water pheasant ran along over the broad 

 leaves of the water lilies, and I shot it, but it gave 

 us no end of trouble to get, as the bed of the " bheel " 

 there was very boggy. Still, wanting it as a specimen, 

 I waited until it was gathered, and then, as there were 

 several rangers present and I had more than I cared 

 for, I gave them a mallard, the pochard, and the two 

 cotton and whistling teal, all of which had been " hal- 

 laled," as well as some of the other birds, by the only 

 Mussulman I had out with me. The birds I gave 

 away are not good for the table, and my game-stick 

 was crowded. Each string had two or more pendant 

 on it, and I could afford to be generous, especially as 

 I intended to visit other portions of the " rumnah " 

 again, my permit being a general one, which would 

 carry me through the shooting season. I also dis- 

 tributed a few rupees, and leaving them contented, I 

 made for the river, which was fully four miles distant. 

 Whilst I went one way the keepers went another, 

 and we soon lost sight of them. By the time I got 

 near the boundary it was getting dusky, and as 

 antelope often come down to the river to drink, I 

 loaded with a ball cartridge in the right barrel, 

 having shot in the other. I did not think we should 



