136 THE JERSEY COAST. 



of stray sand that sifted in through his clothes to be 

 some malignant, blood-sucking, insect. 



One great advantage, however, followed from this 

 discomfort that we were up betimes next morning 

 and ready for sport that soon proved equal to any 

 we had experienced. In fact, so steady and well 

 sustained a flight of large birds was extremely rare ; 

 before our arrival the shooting had been good, and 

 since excellent. There was a repetition to a great 

 extent of the day previous, in many particulars of 

 flight, number, and character of birds ; in infinite 

 modification of circumstance, there was an incessant 

 variety of bewildering sport. 



No two birds ever approach the sportsman's stand 

 in precisely the same way, and there is one round of 

 deliciously torturing uncertainty ; the flock we are 

 most certain of may turn off, the one that has passed 

 and been given up. may return ; the bird that has 

 been carefully covered may escape, another that 

 seems a hopeless chance may fall : it is these minute 

 differences, and this continual variety, that lend the 

 principal charm to the sportsman's life. 



At midday came again the congregation at the 

 house, the discussion over sporting topics, the joke 

 or story, and the comparison of luck. Thus passed 

 the days, alike, yet different, affording undiminished 

 pleasure, excitement, and instruction, with sport 

 admirably adapted to the hot weather, when the 

 cool, shady swamps are deserted by the woodcock. 

 The English snipe have not yet arrived upon the 

 meadows, and the fall shooting is still in prospective ; 



