34 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



these legions of birds are free to every one, the shooter 

 not being in constant peril of writs for poaching, tres- 

 passing, and violation of game laws, as every one 

 is, whether rich or poor, who follows the fascinating 

 amusement of shooting in the British Isles. I have 

 little doubt, in alluding to English sportsmen and their 

 ignorance of many of the advantages which America 

 enjoys in this respect, that there are thousands across the 

 Atlantic equally deficient in knowledge of sights which 

 almost daily may be realised, and who, though sports- 

 men, through lack of experience, miss witnessing 

 scenes that would cause them such pleasure and admi- 

 ration, that the impression left would never be eradi- 

 cated in future years. 



In confirmation of this, I will state an instance that 

 came under my own observation: I was shooting on 

 a prairie in Illinois, on the edge of a large slough, 

 accompanied by a gentleman who had been born and 

 bred in a town in the immediate vicinity. As we 

 progressed along the margin of the wet ground a 

 brace of duck flushed ; each of us cut down one, the 

 mallard falling to his lot : so greatly was he elated 

 over his success that a person would have imagined 

 that he had never previously killed a similar specimen. 

 This supposition entered my head, and I inquired if he 

 would like to obtain a few more. " A strong desire " was 



