270 GROUSE, SNIPE, QUAIL, WOODCOCK, ETC. 



which covered about a quarter of an acre, my pointer 

 found and pointed a bevy of quail. There were about 

 twenty in it; and, as they got up under my feet, I 

 took my time, picked out my birds, and killed a couple 

 right and left. This exploit quite won the respect of 

 my wild companions, and now they really stood still 

 till I had loaded, and allowed my bitch to find her dead 

 birds. They had pitched in the edge of the bushes, and 

 I followed them with my dog. Much to my surprise, 

 though marked to an inch, she failed to find a bird. 

 Every inch was hunted, but no point was made. Beckon- 

 ing up my followers, we began to beat the bushes and 

 grass tussocks, the very spots my pointer had so closely 

 hunted. 



Whir ! went a quail, as a tussock was kicked ; and 

 whir! whir! as the whole bevy were put to the rout. 

 Again I killed a brace and marked the rest. 



This time I had no more difficulty ; my dog pointed 

 them successfully as she found them, and I killed 

 nearly, or quite all the company. 



For the remainder of my visit my gun and dog were 

 sacred, and I enjoyed capital sport, marred only by 

 one circumstance, and that was the manner in which 

 the little heathens took my dead birds when brought 

 home, and, half cooking them, devoured them with no 

 more respect than if they were raw beef-steaks. 



The American Woodcock (Scolopax minor). Though 

 there may be some controversy as to the migratory 



