THE SPORTSMAN IN FRANCE. 229 



by plunging into an elaborate examination 

 of this mischievous act. 



I can find no term more applicable, for 

 it strikes at the root of an Englishman's 

 first and noblest amusement, and tends 

 to deprive the sportsman of his pastime, 

 and the honest landed proprietor of 

 his game. I cannot, for a moment, 

 believe that the bill will be allowed to 

 remain as it is, and I would fain hope 

 that a spark of amor patricB still kin- 

 dles in the bosoms of our legislators, 

 and that some change will speedily be 

 effected. 



But revenons a nos moutons, as we say 

 at Dunkirk. It is somewhat strange 

 that the grouse are not to be found in 

 France — at least, I never met with any. 



During my stay at Quimper, Mr. W 



and myself explored the country for miles 

 around, in the hope of meeting with the 

 heath bird on the bruyeres which are to be 

 met with all over Brittany — but not a 



