THE GREAT BUSTARD. 



41 



not what the cause may be— whether the apparently slow 

 tlight— really very fast— or the huge bulk of the birds 

 deceives, or otherwise — yet some of the best shots at ordi- 

 nary driven game are often perplexed at their bad records 

 against the ardardas. Long shots, it is true, are the rule : 

 longer far than one dreams of taking at home — and such 

 ranges require extreme forward allowance : yet many birds 

 at close quarters are let off. 



A memorable sight is a huge harhon, or male bustard, 

 when he suddenly finds himself within range of a pair 

 of choke-bore barrels — so near that one can see his eye ! 

 How he ploughs through the air with redoubled efforts of 

 those enormous wings, and hopes by putting on the pace 

 to escape from danger. 



It is when only one man and his driver are after 

 bustard that the cream of this sport is enjoyed. The 

 work then resembles deer-stalking, for the sportsman must 

 necessarily creep up rcru close to his game in order to 

 have any fair chance of a shot. Unless he has wormed 

 his way to within 150 yards before the birds are raised, the 

 odds are long against success. Gratifying indeed is the 

 triumph when, after many efforts, and as many disappoint- 

 ments, one at length outmatches them, and secures a 

 heavy bag by a single right-and-left. 



By way of illustration, we give, in the next chapter, 

 descriptions of bustard- shooting, (1) driving with a party 

 in the ordinary way, and (2) Stalking and driving to a 

 single gun. 



Such, roughly described, are the two chief recognized 

 systems of shooting the Great Bustard : i.e., dyiviiuj, which 

 can be practised at any period of autumn, winter, or early 

 spring, but which is most effective in March, when the 

 growing crops afford sufficient " blind "; and shooting from 

 the cart, which is onl}- available during, or just after, 

 harvest. 



There remains, however, another method by which 

 this game ma}' be brought to bag — one which we may 

 claim to have ourselves invented and brought to some 

 degree of perfection — namely : 



