54 ON SURREY HILLS. 



flight will be altered for a quick shoot up in the air 

 of about twenty or thirty feet, and then down comes 

 the hunter, and a very sure pounce it is. The black- 

 cock is a large and powerful bird, but the needle- 

 like claws of the harrier will make short work of 

 him. 



When they hunt partridges the tactics of the har- 

 rier are a little different. If the locality is a stubble 

 fallow, they frighten the birds to begin with, by 

 making them run backwards and forwards till they 

 bunch up, cowering with fear. Then both blue 

 hawk and ringtail set to work in earnest, and come 

 at 'them with a dash. 



Up spring the partridges in all directions, almost 

 brushing the top off the stubble : all in a clutter they 

 are, one over the other. Then the hunter's work is 

 easy ; each makes a pounce, and each has a bird. 



In the bogs snipe hummed and bleated out a tis- 

 sicking music to their mates, and woodcocks bred in 

 the cover by the hillsides. If the woodcock's nest 

 was near enough to swampy ground, the little crea- 

 tures were led to it ; if at a distance, they were car- 

 ried there and back again. This was once proved in 

 our neighbourhood in a most convincing manner. A 



