CH. i.] HALLOOING SPOILS SPORT. 5 



unwillingly to seek protection (when arrived at maturity) 

 in ready flight rather than in concealment. Even the 

 report of a gun does not so much alarm them as the 

 command, " Toho," or "Down charge/' * usually, too, as 

 if to make matters worse, hallooed to the extent of the 

 breaker's lungs. There are anglers who recommend 

 silence as conducive to success, and there are no expe- 

 rienced sportsmen who do not acknowledge its great 

 value in shooting. Eate or beat a dog at one end of a 

 field, and the birds at the other will lift their heads, 

 become uneasy, and be ready to take wing the moment 

 you get near them. " Penn," in his clever maxims on 

 Angling and Chess, observes to this effect, " if you wish 

 to see the fish, do not let him see you ;" and with respect 

 to shooting, we may as truly say, " if you wish birds to 

 hear your gun, do not let them hear your voice." Even 



a loud whistle disturbs them. Mr. 1 of C e 



says, a gamekeeper's motto ought to be, " No whistling 



its feet will be more worn and which come from the hills to feed ; 



extended. If you spread open the and, curious to say, several shots 



wing of any game bird, you will are often obtained before the pack 



find the upper part (near the second takes wing. The first few reports 



joint) more or less bare. The less frequently no more alarm them, 



that part is covered with feathers than to make the most cautious of 



the younger is the bird. the number jump up to look 



A* poulterer once told me that around, when, observing nothing 

 at the end of the season he judged that ought to intimidate them, 

 much of the age of birds by the they recommence feeding. By 

 appearance of their heads. commencing with the undermost 

 " Ware " sunken eyes, and birds, the Americans sometimes 

 tainted or discoloured vents they shoot in daylight all the Par- 

 have been too long out of the tridges (as they erroneously call 

 kitchen. them) roosting on a tree ; and 



* The following facts are strong poachers in this country, by 



evidences of the correctness of this making a similar selection, often 



assertion. Late in the season far kill at night (using diminished 



more grouse than ought to be are charges) several Pheasants before 



shot by "gunners," to use an Ame- those that are on the topmost 



rican expression, " true sports- branches fly away. A strong breeze 



men " 1 can hardly term them much favours the poacher by 



who conceal themselves in large diminishing the chance of the 



stooks of grain, to fire at the birds birds much hearing him. 



