428 SPORT IN EUROPE 



down on the seashore, and enormous bags have been made on a few 

 such occasions. Over a hundred have several times been shot by one 

 gun on the islands in the Marmora and the Gulf of Ismidt, and I 

 remember on one afternoon when unfortunately I happened to be out 

 after wild boar, and had only ball cartridges with me, seeing the cock 

 literally in hundreds at Dil Bournou, in the Gulf of Ismidt, on the 

 low, marshy ground near the sea. Next day, the weather having 

 become milder, there were comparatively few, but the recollection of 

 that missed opportunity will never be effaced from my regretful 

 memory. Two or three guns, I believe, might have shot three 

 hundred without any difficulty. Dil Bournou is about three hours' 

 steam from Constantinople. Other favourite resorts of cock are the 

 districts of Touzla, Guebzeh, Denizly, and Ovadjik. These coverts 

 are preserved by Sir W. Whittall, or at least a large portion of them, 

 and in the season of 1898 his bag amounted to over 2,000 cock. 

 They are within easy reach of Constantinople. The best cock 

 shooting on the strictly European ground is at Cherkesskeui, about 

 three hours down the main European line. The coverts there are 

 low and easy, and two years ago at least twelve hundred cock were 

 shot to my knowledge in the coverts within a radius of three miles 

 of the railway. At present, however, all the Cherkesskeui shooting 

 has been rented, and is not open. At times, good bags can be made 

 in Belgrade Forest, behind Therapia, and now and again a lucky 

 sportsman has fallen upon a big flight at the moment of their arrival 

 round Kilios. The neighbourhood of Pyrgos and Petnokhory, within 

 three hours' drive, sometimes affords very good sport indeed, whilst 

 the Sultan's farm half an hour from Pera almost invariably holds 



