242 THE GROUSE 



black cocker-spaniels, who quartered their 

 ground in the most approved fashion, and 

 shot some six score of the most sporting 

 bunnies it has ever been your good 

 fortune to meet with, in the jumble of 

 whins, bracken, and rocks on the rough 

 hill-side above the house, the occasional 

 woodcock or snipe lending a pleasing 

 variety to the bag. 



The next day was certainly blowy — if 

 half a gale from the south-east with 

 scuds of sleet off the sea may be so 

 lightly described — but you had little 

 reason to find fault with weather so 

 admirably suited to the work in hand, 

 for that was the day you killed close on 

 two hundred wood-pigeon coming in to 

 feed on the mast under the beeches in the 

 park. 



What splendid shots they gave coming 

 up -wind over the tall trees, and how 

 absurdly pleased you felt with the open- 

 mouthed astonishment of the young 

 keeper who came to pick up for you, 

 when he saw the bare ground under the 



