WOOD-PIGEONS AND WILD-FOWL 149 



on, and, curiously enough, pigeons do not care for 

 them till decidedly ripe. 



The most curious pigeon-shooting that ever fell 

 to my lot was more like walking up partridges. I 

 discovered it quite by accident. I had occasion to 

 cut across a huge open field, and walked along a 

 furrow through some clover. I had not gone far 

 when up got a pigeon, and a little farther on another, 

 and so on, till I found myself with six pigeons in my 

 pocket. The pigeons had discovered some self- 

 sown barley among the clover, which was neither 

 thick nor high. I must have bagged the six while 

 walking not more than three hundred yards straight 

 up the furrow. The hearing of wood-pigeons is 

 much less keen than most people suppose infinitely 

 inferior to that of partridges and pheasants but I 

 never have met with pigeons harder of hearing than 

 were these. It seemed incredible that the first shot 

 I fired should not have put up every pigeon in the 

 field. I had not time, neither did I want any more 

 pigeons, nor had I many more cartridges, nor 

 perhaps would the farmer have appreciated it ; but 

 to have walked the whole of that clover-field must 

 have resulted in a good bag. I came that way next 

 day, but saw no more pigeons. 



The secret of getting the cream of pigeon-shooting 

 when the birds come to the colouring wheat is to 

 have first innings at each field. They will not come 

 to a field with the same gluttonous abandon after a 



