UPLAND SHOOTING. 213 



Being quite certain tliat tliese were new comers, and the 

 brake being a very pretty and easy place in which to get shots, 

 and mark liirds, T beat it regularly, either going out, or coming 

 home, every day during my stay in the country, and bagged 

 upon it, in all, sixty-three birds in six successive days. 



Tills is now very many years ago, but I noted the tact from 

 its singularity at the time ; and I have since obsen'ed, that in 

 'certain highly favored places, this may be regularly looked for ; 

 and I wou'd never recommend a sportsman, shooting late in the 

 autumn, particularly after the nights hare begun to be frosty, to 

 decliin' trying a likely piece of ground, a second, or even a 

 tliird or fourth time, because he has already swept it clear of 

 W'oodcoek. It does not, of course, follow of all ground whatso- 

 ever ; liut ol' all that ground which is the most beloved by the 

 hir<l, it is unquestionably true that it will be filled, and refilled, 

 many times in succession. 



This is certainly a curious fact, and one for which it is diffi- 

 cidt to account, by any reasonable mode of explanation. The 

 succession of so many birds, is in itself singular, it not being at 

 all apparent where is the reservoir from which the current is 

 supplied. It was not, in the case I have named, from other 

 woods in the neighborhood, of slightly inferior excellence, as 

 feeding ground, for these were not deserted ; and, if we suppose 

 that the fresh supplies came in consecutively fi'om the north- 

 ward by long flights, how should they have been able to time 

 themselves so exactly, as to come on the very nights when the 

 haunt was vacant, and at their service 1 



On the other hand, if we adopt the idea that the descent is ^^^^ /^^^ 

 only from the neighboring mountain tops, why should these wait , ,' - y 

 natientlv until the others were killed off to their hands, instead 

 of pouring down into the place in a body, and there remaining '' ^^^t . 

 until the supply of food, which renders it so favorite a haunt, j^^' {^H t 

 should be exhausted ] ■'f \'^/tr^ g 



Such, however, is invariably the case in such localities, and I 4^ /«t- y ■■ 

 never but once in my life observed anything like di flock of these .,' r '^ 

 birds. That once, in a very wet place, on the edge of a heavy ' / 



