186 PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



fluttering on the ground in its death struggles, 

 when another rushed out of the jungle and 

 attacked the dying bird with the utmost fury, 

 although Wilson was standing reloading his 

 gun close by. The male often makes a 

 singular drumming noise with his wings, not 

 unhke the sound produced by shaking a stiff 

 piece of cloth in the air. It is heard only in 

 the pairing season, and either attracts the 

 attention of the females, or serves as a 

 defiance to his fellows. In this, it resembles 

 the birch-partridge of America. 



To ensure good pheasant-shootmg, the 

 sportsman should make himself acquainted 

 with the ground resorted to by each species 

 at the different seasons of the year, and as a 

 general rule dogs are preferable to beaters ; 

 for birds, when flushed by the latter, are apt 

 to take long flights and go off" out of all 

 reach, whilst they will often when moved by 

 the former, fly into trees above the dogs, and 

 sufi'er themselves to be closely approached; 

 seeming to pay more attention to their move- 

 ments, than to the presence of the sportsman. 



