COURSING, ETC. 235 



frequent moist places and marshes, where 

 there is little water and high grass, the sides 

 of brooks, ponds, and hills exposed to the 

 north ; but in cold weather they will be com- 

 monly found on little hills exposed to the 

 south, along hedge-rows among the heath, in 

 stubbles, and in pastures where there is much 

 furze and fern ; in hard frosts they get into 

 thickets, low places, and marshes, where 

 they seek to shelter themselves from the cold, 

 as they do from the heat, in different sea- 

 sons. The greater part however of these 

 rules, will only apply when the weather is 

 extremely hot and severely cold; at both 

 which times the hares, partridges, and phea- 

 sants, almost totally desert the plains and 

 open grounds ; the game is more easily ap- 

 proached, and lies better, in covert than in 

 open places ; a double advantage is therefore 

 obtained by hunting for them in the former. 

 The sportsman should at all times of the 

 shooting season go out in the morning before 

 the dew is off'; at that time the shepherds 

 and their flocks have not entirely spread 



