SHOOTIXG IN CHINA. 59 



tliink this filthy-feeding bird is of the jay family. 

 During this day's work, several painted quails were 

 bagged — a truly beautiful little bird, smaller than 

 his namesake, but swift on the wing, and more 

 delicate, if possible, on the table. Still they are so 

 small, and the brilliant feathers so delicately pencil- 

 ed, that I never cease to consider their death as an 

 unnecessary slaughter. 



Time flies on rapid wing ; I had only three days' 

 leave of absence, so that one day more was only 

 left; duck and snipe shooting I have always had 

 a passion for, so when we arose in the morning, 

 not much refreshed with sleep (for the cowardly 

 Chinese coolies kept constantly sounding the alarm 

 of Lally-lunes — anglice^ pirates — which kept turning 

 out the whole party, revolver in hand), we deter- 

 mined to devote our last day to this sport. A wide 

 expanse of distant marsh and paddy fields was our 

 beat, and well it was that such a decision was come 

 to, for we truly had some splendid shooting. Several 

 ducks, a host of bitterns of every size and color, and 

 innumerable snipes, composed our bag, the painted 

 variety of the latter being very numerous. Although 

 this is a handsome bird in appearance, he is sadly 

 behind the common snipe in sporting requisites, 



