SPORTSMAN, iTAKMERS, &C. 101 



ground. These stakes they cannot see, 

 unless of a moonhght night. But there is 

 another method, preferable to all the 

 rest, which I never as yet have heard to 

 have been practised, and it is infallible : — 

 Keep a boy mounted on a jack-ass ; let 

 him have two long-legged spring spaniels 

 (not the small cocking spaniel) under his 

 care, and feed them himself, that the dogs 

 may know him well, and follow kindly. 

 Let him go out, not before it is quite dark, 

 and hunt all the stubbles, and particularly 

 the standing clover, for the breadth of half 

 a mile all round your house. This will not 

 take him much above three hours ; he has 

 only to lie in bed two hours longer in the 

 morning. When a covey of birds is 

 sprung at night, they separate, and go 

 various ways, and by far the greater part 

 get to some hedge, if there be any, and the 

 country be not quite open ; for if it be ever 

 so dark, they can distinguish the hedge; 

 by the darkness of its appearance : besides, 

 as they fly very low, provided the hedge be 

 of any moderate height, they are sure to 

 see it. There they are perfectly safe ; and 



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