124 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



specimen of Otus palustris, and holding it up to the 

 blank-looking cockney, amid the ill-suppressed laughter 

 of those confounded fellows who attend to mark not 

 only the game, but the number of shots that are 

 missed, on their abominable knotched sticks. 



" Never mind, sir," adds the comforter John, " if 

 t ant a cock, a' did keep company wi' 'em ; and a's 

 curious like, and since you ha'nt killed nothen else to- 

 day, I'd bag un if I was you he'll look uncommon well 

 in a glass case." 



On my way home I passed another of these birds 

 hunting about in their slow and noiseless manner. 



