250 IN HIGH SUFFOLK 



shot, and, though they were rather wild, a partridge 

 against the snow is a clear mark, and a careful long 

 shot brought the last bird down. He would have been 

 a runner had the snow allowed, but, finding it impos- 

 sible to make any way, he poked his head under the 

 snow, and submitted to be caught by Rebel, the retriev- 

 ing Clumber. 



Following the little stream up to the higher land, we 

 secured another brace of red-legs old birds, with legs 

 knotted like a blackthorn stick. One of these was a 

 towered bird, and made a beautiful picture on the snow, 

 the coral legs and beak and beautiful shades of buff, 

 French grey, and chestnut showing up against the white 

 background. We also flushed several coveys of grey 

 birds ; but these were quite wild, and seemed only extra 

 wary on account of the difficulty of concealing them- 

 selves. On the higher ground we had some difficulty 

 in finding our birds ; but at last we discovered a sunny 

 fence, under which four or five coveys had collected. 

 This we were able to double ; and though they were 

 wilder than we expected, as birds generally are when 

 collected in any number, we had very good fun. These 

 birds were all lying in the ditch, or rather just below 

 the level of the field, as we could see by the holes in 

 the snow where they had been sitting. My brother 

 secured a right and left, and I two single shots, and two 

 birds were marked down in hedges at no great distance. 

 One of these the spaniels caught, he having thrust him- 

 self under brambles covered with snow, and so became 

 entrapped. The other bird rose, and was shot by my 



