Sporting Notes in the Far East. 49 



quickly, with the fear of some other gun getting ahead of you ; if 

 you do, you are too hurried and out of breath to make any 

 certainty of killing, and a " leg down " followed by a lingering 

 death, is often the result. 



When birds are scarce, some few sportsmen, (to try and make 

 sure of the few shots, that they may get during the day,) will 

 unmercifully " plaster " a close lying bird before he is five yards 

 from the muzzle of the gun. But stay thy hand, oh my friend ! 

 and give him law: or the poor mangled birdie will be by nightfall 

 unfit for human food. 



Should it happen, as is often the case, that pheasants are seen 

 feeding in open space or paddy fields bounded on one or more 

 sides by brushwood : always get at them so as to drive them away 

 from the cover ; they will then find themselves cut off from their 

 accustomed shelter, will run a little way, squat, and when walked 

 up, will give an easy shot on rising. 



Chinese pheasants are terrible runners, and when wounded are 

 up to all sorts of tricks. For instance : " up country " above 

 Shanghai, I have known a winged cock, without the slightest 

 hesitation ; take to one of the deep and unwadeable creeks and 

 swim across. Totally frustrating any attempt to bag him, unless 

 there should be a retriever on the spot. 



Pheasants also, from being generally found on the edges of these 

 creeks, have a nasty habit when put up, of flying straight across 



