286 GROUSE AND OTHER LAND BIRDS 



they simply rise off the ground, perching in the 

 nearest tree and stretching their necks to see you 

 walking under them. If it happens that a covey 

 is started, they will frequently be all killed with- 

 out any of the others around taking flight. Many 

 a time when in the woods trapping, we would not 

 waste a shot on them, but simply go to work and 

 cut down a small sapling, tie a noose or string 

 at one end, slip it over their head and pull them 

 off the branch. At other times for amusement we 

 would go out with a bow and blunt-headed arrow 

 and whack them off the trees at twenty feet 

 range, which is about the usual one that they are 

 shot at here. 



What a contrast to the educated ones! Some 

 years ago I received an invitation from Mr. C. 

 Beatty, of Plattsburg, Lake Champlain, to go and 

 have a few days cf mixed shooting with him. It 

 was late in September, but most of the leaves were 

 still on the trees. The first day we had a grand 

 duck shoot on Missisquoi Bay and after that an 

 outing for woodcock. The last day had been re- 

 served for partridge and grey squirrels. We had 

 breakfast at daylight and were off. We had not 

 far to go to reach our ground, patches of hard- 

 wood trees, with a good deal of underbrush. We 

 soon heard some, whirring off at our approach, but 

 could not even get a glimpse of them. After a 

 time I got a crossing shot at one over fifty yards 

 away, which I bagged, and that was the only 



