122 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



the right flank, with your humble servant in the 

 centre, walked-up the sole survivor of the now deci- 

 mated family. The bird sprang from his very feet, 

 and both barrels in rapid succession greeted its depar- 

 ture ; still Mr. Partridge did not fall, nor did I 

 see the slightest appearance of its having suffered 

 inconvenience. T., however, assured us that it was 

 badly hit and would fall immediately, requesting us 

 to mark it well, as he much desired to get it, in 

 order to see where it was struck, and "how the mis- 

 chief" it did not drop at once. - We all strained 

 our optics, at least I did, till my sight was almost 

 obscured by liquid, so earnest was I to gratify my 

 friend's wishes; but, alas ! the bird was possessed of 

 a most unusual amount of vitality, and ultimately 

 vanished, apparently going stronger than when it 

 started. T. then appealed to Gr., if he did not see the 

 feathers fly, and when he answered in the negative, my 

 opinion was demanded ; however, I was loth to confess 

 that the only feathers flying I was aware of, were those 

 that assisted the bird in ridding himself of such dan- 

 gerous neighbours and getting as far from our vicinity 

 as possible. In fact, I was commencing to "smell a mice," 

 as the Dutchman said, and thought our worthy> ener- 

 getic friend much resembled Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey, 

 the gentleman whose acquaintance Mr. Sponge made 



