12 SPORT IN THE CRIMEA. 



would surprise a corkscrew, the bustards think they 

 have had enough of it, and there is a slow flapping 

 of wings, and hoisting of the heavy bodies into air. 

 Slowly, with a grand solemn flight, wonderfully in 

 keeping with the wild majesty of the boundless 

 plains on which they live, they sail away towards 

 the hills. Suddenly the leaders stop with a jerk, 

 and try too late to change their direction. From 

 the covert beneath the sportsman starts to his 

 feet, two bright flashes are seen, two reports follow, 

 one huge bird collapses at once and another lowers 

 for a moment, and then goes feebly on to fall at the 

 first discharge of the next hidden gun. Right and 

 left the remainder fly, rising somewhat as they do 

 so, but still not high enough to take them out of 

 danger, and when at last they have passed the fatal 

 circle, five fine birds reward our stratagem. 



One of us has to face a storm of chaff hard for 

 a disappointed sportsman to bear, for in his excite- 

 ment he had neglected to change his cartridges ; and 

 although standing within short pistol-shot of a 

 passing monster, the quail -shot produces nothing 

 more than a shower of feathers, enough almost to 

 stuff a bolster with. 



By thus surrounding them, and by shooting 

 them occasionally from a cart, a few of these mag- 

 nificent birds (larger than a turkey and finer eat- 

 ing) are killed from time to time throughout sum- 

 mer and autumn. A few too are sometimes picked 



