so A Sportsman at Large 



days, I was an irreclaimable poacher, and I must brazenly 

 confess that I exulted in the holocaust of feather that followed 

 the report of my gun. 



A leash of birds were down and out ; whilst a fourth, after 

 winging its way for a hundred yards or so, began to mount 

 higher and higher in the firmament, until it suddenly ceased, 

 turned over in the air, and fell perpendicularly to Mother 

 Earth, where it lay on its back stone dead, as is the custom 

 with " towering " partridges. Having gathered this .little 

 lot, I became aware that Master Cockie was busy on the 

 top of the bank. There was no mistaking when my canine 

 shadow was on " the goods ; " for as an aid to the lonely 

 gunner, he was a worthy successor of the beloved Tobias- 

 long since passed to the happy hunting fields where ash plants 

 are unknown and where vermin and convenient tree trunks 

 abound. (Perhaps you know what a dog's ideal Paradise 

 is?) 



" A bunny," thought I ; but I thought wrong ! 



There was a flick of rapid wings ; but before the bird could 

 clear itself of the close-growing tangle of briar and bracken, 

 Cockie Junior made a lightning spring and caught it in mid air. 



What was my astonishment to find it was a woodcock. 

 The first of the season, and a well-conditioned bird at that. 

 I regretted that I had not been vouchsafed a chance of trying 

 my skill on the desirable scollopax, for I had yet to add one 

 of its kind to my schedule of feathered victims ; but after all, 

 a bird in the bag is worth many in the air (to paraphrase a 

 well-worn proverb). Moreover, I knew that The Dads would 

 revel in the capture, when skilfully cooked and served upon 

 toast, with " trail " complete. 



Then I emerged upon the heather of the open moor, en route 

 for Ridden Mire, famous for its snipe. I was not expecting 

 game on the way, but I had hardly arrived at the ridge, over- 

 looking the mire, when up jumped an old "jack" hare, which 

 looked to my startled eyes, about the size of a young mule. 

 Of course my terrier was at it in a moment, and so close was 

 he to the scut, that I had no chance to loose off 

 before my mark was some forty yards distant. I then let 

 " lepus " have it with both barrels. He was, obviously, 



