THE JAPANESE PHEASANT. 179 



I heard a note which I took to be the crowing of a cock 

 pheasant at a short distance, I availed myself of the excellent 

 cover, and, crawling cautiously on my hands and knees, I 

 succeeded in approaching him within about fifteen yards. 

 Having the advantage of the wind and a foggy atmosphere, 

 and being moreover concealed by the rocks and shrubs, I 

 could indulge in quietly observing him and his family. On a- 

 small sandy patch were an adult cock and three hens busy in 

 taking their breakfast, which consisted of the berries already 

 mentioned growing hereabouts in abundance. From time to 

 time the lord of this little family stopped in his repast and 

 crowed his shrill war-cry, which was answered by a rival on 

 another hill at some distance. At other moments, again, 

 when the sun broke forth for a short time, all stretched 

 themselves in the golden rays, and rolling in the sand, 

 shook the morning dew from their fine plumage. It was 

 a beautiful sight, and I looked upon it with exceeding 

 pleasure ; so much, indeed, that I could not find the heart 

 to destroy this little scene of domestic happiness by a leaden 

 shower from my fowling-piece. Suddenly the birds showed signs 

 of uneasiness, and I soon discovered the cause in a Japanese 

 root-digger coming from the opposite direction. I therefore 

 took up my gun, and, standing on my feet, raised the birds 

 also, and as they flew towards the next hill, I had the good 

 fortune to bring down the cock with one barrel of my gun 

 and one of the hens with the other. 



" The Japanese, who came up after I had loaded my gun 

 and secured my game, looked with some astonishment at the 

 stranger, for I was certainly the first foreigner who had 

 been in pursuit of game on the hunting grounds of Niphon. 

 He evidently asked me several questions, which I was not, of 

 course, able to understand, but from his signs and the 

 frequent repetition of the word " statzoo " (two), I inferred 

 that he inquired whether I had fired twice in such quick 

 succession with one gun. I nodded and explained to him as 

 well as I could the nature of my double-barrelled gun, and 



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