200 BROADLAND SPORT 



and nettles, overgrowing many a rustic grave, in search of 

 game. 



"The churchyards in Norfolk seem to be the favourite 

 resorts for game of all description, and are rarely drawn 

 blank. Many a dozen rabbits have been shot standing on 

 the graves of ancestors and turning over the bunnies as they 

 dodge in and out of the grassy mounds and as they round 

 the corners of the tombstones, being bolted by ferrets; but 

 on this occasion we were tramping uncertain ground, accom- 

 panied by a spaniel and a retriever. 



" The visit to the churchyard in question was not unpro- 

 ductive, for a cock pheasant and two rabbits were obtained 

 before leaving its sacred precincts. 



"Negotiating a broken-down hedge which divided the 

 churchyard from a thickly-cropped clover ley, ' we spread 

 ourselves out together there ' to use a Norfolk colloquialism 

 and take all before us en route for the marshes. 



" The leaves of the grass are wet with the rapidly-thawing 

 rime of last night's frost, which the rays of the rising sun is fast 

 dissolving, and it is too early yet for the birds to have taken 

 refuge in the cover of the roots. Several coveys rise just 

 out of gunshot, but four English birds squat on seeing us 

 approach, and when flushed present an easy target ; three of 

 them fall to the four shots whilst a hare is bagged almost 

 immediately afterwards. 



"Three stubbles lying between us and the marshes we 

 carefully walk, and whilst so engaged are successful in 

 downing two brace of birds with another rabbit, at the 

 same time we drive all before us in the direction we are 

 going. 



"Where the uplands join the marshland, being separated 

 by a grown-up dyke, a long tract of osier bed had been 

 planted, and through this we sent the beaters, doubling it 

 ourselves. For 150 yards we walk without seeing life of 

 any kind, then a hare is observed stealing away far in front. 

 Whilst attention is thus drawn, another hare, which breaks 

 cover behind, is almost lost ; had it not been for the dogs 



