122 Sporting Notes in the Far East. 



scuttle away across you, as fast as their legs will carry them to the 

 secure shelter of the friendly covert. 



I know that to shoot a running pheasant is INEXCUSABLE ; but 

 when one is working for the " pot " as well as for sport, the temp- 

 tation in these hard cases is * * * well I won't say what ? 



The pheasants in South Japan breed earlier than those of 

 England, and by the end of March, the old hen will generally 

 have settled down, to her full compliment of eggs. 



There are some nice streams running down many of the valleys, 

 which ought to contain fish ; but as far as I can gather, fishermen 

 generally return home " clean." 



The water around the beach is too deep, and the bottom too 

 rocky, to allow of successful seining. 



This island is supposed to be one of the few (?) possessions in 

 these waters, coveted by Russia, and there is no doubt that its 

 many deep and beautiful land locked creeks, afford splendid 

 anchorage for any number of ships. 



In '87, my ship had the honour of taking the Commander-in-Chief 

 and several officers from the fleet, into all the nooks and corners of 

 this immense natural harbour ; and after we had explored them all, 

 it was the unanimous opinion, that the different fleets of the world, 

 could be severally anchored at one time, within its precints, and be 

 so concealed that one squadron would never know of the close 

 proximity of another. 



