WOODCOCK SHOOTING. 95 



Adam. If so, they had no time to cry peccavi ; 

 they did not even wriggle at his bill's point ; but 

 almost seemed to glide voluntarily down his 

 throat, so quickly and evenly did they disappear. 

 Beholding this, we gave free vent to our glee, 

 and remembering a line of Lord Byron's, which 

 disagreeably intimates that man's body was made 

 "to clog the soul and feast the worm," we at once 

 came to the sage conclusion that a woodcock was 

 made for exactly an inverse purpose ; and not being 

 able to compete with his lordship's all-engrossing 

 verse, we contented ourselves with granting our 

 bird full supplies, besides decreeing him " the 

 garland of the war." And to say the truth, he 

 deserved it. He would empty a pint cup of the 

 small reptiles in tw r enty-four hours ; and as for 

 trying his ingenuity by hiding them three or 

 four inches deep in the soft, moist earth, why a 

 covey of birds feeding in the stubbles, w r ith the 

 scent blowing freely from their feathers, had 

 about as much chance of escaping from your 

 pointer's nose, as the enemy from his infallible 

 bill. 



But how did he proceed to effect this, you ask; 

 what was his system of tactics ? My dear reader, 

 compose yourself and listen. 



When placed upon ground thus prepared, if 



