Sketches in the East and West 279 



The other dog had his turn in showing us a 

 slightly peculiar experience. Cantering along a 

 growthy old hedge, where the doctor was expecting 

 to raise a bevy unless we should get it in the ad- 

 joining fields, Hicks came to a stop, evidently 

 pointing, but with that " not just for keeps " air 

 which shooting men so easily distinguish from a 

 decisive point. We took it to be a momentary 

 rabbit episode and made no haste. As we drew 

 near, a big bird rose over the hedge. After a 

 swift glance, the doctor let drive. With a broken 

 wing a blue hawk flapped to the ground ; his 

 angry, fearless eyes seeming to snap and his strong 

 talons ready for enemies. While my companion 

 started to jump over a low place in the hedge I 

 thought to hold the dog. But Hicks was still 

 pointing. Following the direction of his nose I 

 looked into the hedge; there was a bunch of 

 feathers, which, I soon saw, concealed a half-eaten 

 quail. When the hawk was killed and stowed 

 away to become a stuffed specimen, the doctor 

 informed me that he had never before seen a blue 

 hawk eat his prey where it was struck, or stick to 

 it in front of man or dog. " Must have been sav- 

 agely hungry," he said. 



The sun was by that time low, and we went 

 back to the judge for another toddy, a supper, 

 and a smoke. And then the ten-mile drive home 

 in the cool, drowsy autumn night. 



