130 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



being unaccustomed to having a great bird 

 flapping about under his nose, whipped round, 

 sending me into the middle of the bush, from 

 which I extricated myself, not without some 

 difficulty, to see my pony disappearing in a cloud 

 of dust, and the poor transfixed bird tumbling 

 about some thirty yards off. 



However, he was quickly dispatched, and my 

 pony soon caught and restored to me. 



It is a common mistake to think large shot 

 should always be used for pea-fowl by doing so, 

 you are often tempted to blaze away into the 

 ' brown ' of the bird ; by this I mean his body. 

 Of course you hit him, but generally fail to stop 

 him. An Ely wire cartridge, No. 3, will of 

 course, if the gun be held straight, kill most 

 things, but I always found that if you have only 

 number five, or six, shot in your gun, and will fire 

 at the head and neck, you will generally stop 

 your bird. 



I have shot them also with a pea-rifle, but this 

 has the same objection to it as the use of large 

 shot and though you may get a fair sitting shot 

 at such a large bird as a peacock, he often goes off 

 with the bullet through him, and is lost in the 

 thick cover. Pea-chicks are uncommonly good 

 eating, but the adult bird is dry and tough, and 



