248 IN HIGH SUFFOLK 



and, secondly, the danger of slipping on ice which is 

 rendered invisible by the loose snow fallen upon it, and 

 so risking an explosion by the gun flying out of the 

 hand. Both these mischances have occurred to the 

 writer, although in the fall the gun did not go off. 

 The concussion was, however, so severe that a deep 

 dent was made in one of the barrels. In the former 

 instance the barrel burst about two inches from the 

 muzzle, the metal opening evenly down the centre. It 

 must be remembered that hares as well as " red-legs " 

 lie very close the first day after a heavy fall. Often 

 they will allow the snow to cover them entirely, and 

 not move until almost trodden on. 



One of the most amusing day's red-leg shooting in 

 the snow which the writer recollects was in Suffolk, after 

 a very heavy and sudden fall, accompanied by a fierce 

 wind from the east. The snow fell all one afternoon 

 and night, and next morning the drifts were as high as 

 the fence tops in some places ; while all ditches, gullies, 

 and drains were filled up level and smooth like the top 

 of an iced cake. The wind had dropped, and the sun 

 shone brightly, but the cold was intense, and the sun 

 had not the least effect in consolidating the dry and 

 powdery snow. No better weather could have been 

 desired for forcing the birds to " fence," but the walls 

 and ramparts of snow cast up against the hedges made 

 it an exceedingly difficult matter to get from field to 

 field. A couple of well-trained retrieving Clumber 

 spaniels were our aid on this occasion, and we fortified 

 ourselves against the cold by taking with us a plentiful 



