220 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA. 



nose, and excellently trained by his master, the Count's 

 huntsman, who was a keen and sagacious lover of field sports. 



' We took this dog one day upon an expedition which 

 to me appeared very like a poaching enterprise. In 

 walking over some marshes at Wiercieliszki, we had seen 

 a great many snipe, some of which Count Bisping was 

 resolved to have. Accordingly, he had a net made of very 

 fine thread, about twenty yards in length and width. We 

 began work about eight o'clock in the morning, the 

 weather being very mild. The dog found the snipe well, 

 standing very staunch. The two men who had the 

 management of the net ran over the place at which he 

 pointed, covering both the dog and game. He took it 

 very calmly, and stayed until the game was captured. I 

 never saw birds lie so close. They would not get up, 

 even when the net was over them. Indeed, we lost 

 several at first, thinking that it was not possible for any 

 birds to be there, and not rise up in alarm ; and that the 

 dog must have pointed false. On lifting up the net, away 

 flew two or three birds from the very spot covered by the 

 net, proving the dog's staunchness and the folly of our 

 impatience. The whole arrangement, I must repeat, was 

 very like poaching ; bat in this country all is allowable. 

 No net, no snipe, appears to be the rule. 



' We were walking in the woods another day with this 

 same dog, in search of blackcock, though we were not 

 allowed to shoot them. The dog came to a good point ; 

 and, as we followed him up, away went a hen bird with 

 five young ones, all fine birds. We marked down one of 

 th'e young birds, and went after him ; and the dog was 

 soon seen again pointing beautifully. The bird had 

 crept into a small bush by which we were standing ; and, 

 on its rising, flew directly in the face of one of our party, 

 who hit at it almost involuntarily with his stick, and it 

 fell into the dog's mouth. I confess, I felt ashamed at 

 this mode of bagging game ; but I was told, that, at the 

 present time, the capture of game, by any means, is 

 accounted lawful. 



