CHILL OCTOBER 223 



has dropped altogether, and that the " usual 

 evening midge" is persevering and troublesome, 

 facing the protective tobacco -smoke with a 

 courage worthy of a better cause. But all good 

 things must come to an end, and at last it is 

 time to gather and count the slain, and wend 

 our way to the dogcart waiting on the bridge. 



The bags are emptied and the game arranged 

 by the side of the road, and make a picture which 

 Weenix or Snyders would have loved to paint ; 

 only there are none of the green woodpeckers, 

 chaffinches, and such like, for which either the 

 artist or the sportsman, or both, used to be 

 responsible. Nine and a half couple of snipe, 

 five ducks, two teal, one woodcock, one pheasant, 

 three partridges, two rabbits, seventeen grouse, 

 twelve blackcocks, and three golden plovers 

 total, sixty-five head and ten varieties. And as 

 we drive home, well wrapped up, through the 

 now frosty evening air, we agree that, although 

 neither of us despises a good day's cover shoot- 

 ing, such a mixed bag is worth a hecatomb of 

 pheasants. 



