136 GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



one side of which flanked the valley where the 

 two packs had been marked down in the morning; 

 but we took a wide range over the higher brow, 

 and presently Bob was down again among the 

 the heather at some distance above us. This 

 time it was a woodcock. Several more did we 

 kill before we descended to the hollow, where 

 we found the two packs at home, and passed 

 the best part of an hour in marking down, and 

 bagging in detail, the stragglers which had been 

 scattered at the first discharge. For the next 

 two hours our sport was of a varied character. 

 Half a dozen more woodcocks, about the same 

 number of grouse, and two or three brace of 

 hares, were stuffed into the panniers which our 

 attendants carried with marvellous ease, like turf 

 baskets, on their shoulders. At last we came 

 to the summit of a hill commanding a view over 

 a bare plain of most unpromising aspect. This, 

 however, must be crossed, for just beyond it 

 we could descry the little lake, set as it were in 

 a framework of green sedgy banks, where we 

 expected luncheon and fresh dogs. Before tra- 

 versing this marsh we took up the setters, and 

 had no hesitation then about shooting two or 

 three couple of snipes that sprang at our feet, 

 and in pouring a volley into a small flock of 

 golden plover, as they dashed heedlessly by 



