236 WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 



might get up when the dogs pointed was a matter 

 for speculation it might be a short-eared owl, a 

 stone curlew or the great curlew, or a covey of 

 partridges. Nothing was done in a hurry : if it 

 was only a snipe, and he was missed, the reason 

 for this would be calmly talked over, and the bird 

 would be sought for and put up again if possible. 

 Even the dogs, the rough -coated setters and the 

 Spanish pointers, went to work deliberately. When 

 the dykes were crossed they looked up them and 

 down them, to see what was moving Jack-hern, 

 coot, flappers, rail, or moor - hen ; nothing was 

 thought beneath their notice if they were fowl. 

 But although our men were good shots as a rule, 

 exceptions did exist the bags at times were light 

 ones; for it was a difficult matter, under certain 

 weather influences, to get within range of birds 

 on exposed places, their hearing is so very quick. 

 Then again they will squat like stones; and the 

 reason for these very opposite tactics on their part 

 has not yet been explained. In any case, whatever 

 the luck might be, the birds that were shot were 

 nicely put away in the men's large shooting-jacket 

 pockets, so that they should look well when turned 



