Ilf THE FIELD. 47 



settled in the friendly cover or upon the distant hillside. 

 What visions of lithe bounding forms suddenly transformed 

 into living statues, mingled with flashing brown sprites, the 

 cr^ek of the gun, and the cloud of fleecy feathers floating in 

 air, have filled us with anticipated satisfaction, as we thought 

 ©f the pleasure in store for us when the early fiosts should 

 call us forth to the field. Or do thoughts of that long -billed 

 aristocrat of birds, "woodcock the magnificent," alone en- 

 gage our thoughts. Well, we know their sure abiding place, 

 and as we have paid them our devoir and seen them dart 

 through the openings, and heard their querulous whistle, 

 how have we thought that the sere and yellow leaf would 

 soon be here to bring to us most royal sport. Do not look 

 upon this as a digression, for we dearly love the pursuit of 

 every one of these favorites; and we hope that you, dear 

 reader, like ourseivee, will so train your dog that, no matter 

 where your lines are cast, your pleasant sport Is sure. 



Our favorite sport since childhood has been the pursuit of 

 that best of all game birds, the magniiicent ruffed grouse, 

 and we have ever found, when our dog was anywhere near 

 perfect in circumventing this most wily bird, that but few 

 days, or perhaps hours, of practice were required to make 

 him equally adept In the pursuit ol any of the others. Many 

 writers pronounce this beautiful bird unfit to train a dog 

 upon ; they rail against his subtle cunning, and are unstinted 

 in condemning his swiftness of wing; and they will give you 

 columns in disparagement of his preternatural wisdom, 

 which they miscall wildness, and earnestly advise you to 

 keep your young dog away from the ruffed grouse's haunts. 

 Notwithstanding the evident sincerity of these writers, we 

 must beg to differ from their views, and can only regret that 

 their knowledge of the habits of this king of birds is not 

 equal to their skill in framing sentences for his vilification. 



Having decided to give our pupil his first practical lessons 

 with this most potent instructor as our co-worker, let us 

 " hie away to the fields with eager dog and trusty gun," ana 

 test the sport so long anticipated. Our pupil should be kept 

 at heel until we reach the usual haunt of the birds, when he 



