WINTER QUAETEES. 27 



took up my quarters on a little flat, near 

 some bullock sheds, about a mile up a well- 

 wooded liill-side, and the same distance 

 from the nearest villages. It might be 

 termed the foot of the Snowy range, for the 

 hill rims mthout any interruption right up 

 to the great range between Gangootrie and 

 Kadernath ; and the grassy regions above 

 the forest are within a good day's walk. 

 The place was central with regard to all the 

 best shooting-grounds in the neighbourhood, 

 and not wishing to move from place to 

 place, I made it head-quarters for the 

 winter. We built two or three little huts 

 on the flat, for the men and myself, and 

 were soon hard at work at the birds ; 

 sometimes shooting on the hill, and at 

 others going out to some more distant spot 

 for three or four days together. 



" On the whole, I was very successful, and 

 before winter was over, the hut set apart 

 for the reception of the prepared skins was 

 nearly full, and made a very fair show. 

 Upwards of 500 birds, principally pheasants 



