260 THE WILD DUCK 



I have finished up the chapter by dwelling with 

 enthusiasm on the joys of its pursuit, I have not 

 done so, solely or chiefly, because he is difficult to kill 

 and delicate to eat. To observe minutely the habits 

 of all wild animals, to try to understand them, to 

 sympathise with them, to find the hand of the 

 Creator in all the creatures of His hand; this, 

 assuredly, is better, more elevating, more inspiring, 

 than to take life either for the purposes of sport 

 or food. 



But, on the other hand, I am equally persuaded 

 from long personal experience, that an enthusiastic 

 love of nature and a genuine love of sport 

 may often go hand in hand. A naturalist need 

 not necessarily be a sportsman. He may hate as 

 indeed he often does the very name of sport ; but 

 a man cannot be a true sportsman who is not also 

 first a true naturalist, for the simple reason that 

 a true sportsman is never a butcher he hates 

 killing, merely as killing. He cares far more for 

 the freshness of the air, for the fragrance of the 

 heather, for the grass laden with dew, for the 

 dancing sparkle of the stream, for the myriad 

 beauties of the moor, the forest, or the stubble-field ; 

 for the "working" and evident enjoyment of his 

 dogs ; for the engrossing interest, and, therefore, 



