BLACKGAME 257 



drive, when birds are very hard to see at all, 

 it is your host who makes the first mistake 

 of the day, and "downs" two greyhens. 

 As you walk down the hill-side to the 

 farm-house, where tea, scones, and heather 

 honey await you, you subject the "lady 

 killer " to much light-hearted chaff, which 

 he takes in good enough part, though 

 well he knows that " murder will out," 

 and that he will be mercilessly taken 

 to task by the old laird at dinner this 

 evening. 



The game is laid out under the red- 

 tiled porch of the farm-house, and as you 

 get a fragrant Havana under weigh, and 

 wrap up warm against the long drive 

 home, you agree that fifty blackcock, of 

 which all but two are cocks, with 

 complement of grouse, partridges, phea- 

 sants, mallard, snipe, woodcock, pigeon, 

 hare, rabbits, and a roe, make as pretty 

 a day as the heart of man could wish 

 for. 



Such a day is still to be enjoyed in a 

 few favoured localities when the fates are 



17 



