BRITISH GAME-BIRDS. 179 



of the southern counties year by year he has been 

 getting scarce, yet it was not so a few years ago, 

 and it is to be regretted that things have come to 

 such a pass as they have done. But when some 

 men rent shootings, they are not contented unless 

 they kill all they can for reasons best known to 

 themselves. At one time the black-cock and grey 

 hen bred freely where I lived for a time on the 

 mossy moors. Even the old woodmen felt proud 

 of the birds, for they would come and show off 

 closely enough for them to see all their strange 

 antics very distinctly. They knew well the dif- 

 ference between a couple of woodmen mending 

 a splashed bank and two men with a gun and 

 dog after them. Even when the axes were at 

 work timber-trimming, and the chips were flying, 

 they never heeded the sounds, but would come sail- 

 ing down from the great warren fir-wood to play 

 up on the bright green velvety turf of the moor. 

 " Massy alive ! cum up airly along o' me to-morrow 

 mornin' an' ye'll see 'em dance. Git up when I 

 do, 'bout half-past four, an' git sum breakfast fust. 

 'Tis a good hour an' a halfs walk from this 'ere 

 shanty o' mine. We has to go middlin' up hill 



