188 KRIDER'S SPORTING ANECDOTES. 



his pursuers are near, the partridge tightens its 

 skin so as to occupy the smallest possible space, 

 and in so doing, if it lies exactly on the spot on 

 which its feet first struck, it will probably puz- 

 zle the dogs, who can detect no effluvia in the 

 air or upon the earth for obvious reasons. You 

 may easily imagine how diiferent is the case 

 when the birds have left a trail, or are feeding 

 in a body, with the scent steaming freely from 

 their feathers. The whole mystery lies in a 

 nutshell ; up whirs the bird from under your 

 feet missed clean, by Jove ! but the second 

 barrel riddles him, and he lies still short of the 

 fallen timber and close to the fence. An old 

 cock that, for a wager ; but charge your piece, 

 and let us at them, for an old snipe shooter, 

 above all things, detests burning daylight. 

 Mark how cautiously the dogs approach the 

 cover ; now Dash is pointing the dead bird : 

 "fetch! so! good dog!" you that way and I 

 this. 



Both dogs point simultaneously on either side 

 of the trees; now, keep cool, and remember, 

 that, as you are shooting a sixteen guage gun 

 which throws her charge very compactly for 

 some distance, you must give your birds a fair 

 start and then kill them clean. 



