276 RACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



the bewildered bird flies slowly right over the 

 shooter's head, over the tent, turning down the 

 Plage past the hotel, from the window of which 

 I am looking on, and disappears into the country 

 beyond. Petitsinge, however, has made a noise 

 and a lot of smoke, and is not unhappy as he 

 retires to explain at length to all who will listen 

 how it happened that he came to miss. 



If only to escape from the constant banging 

 of guns the first day of the races is welcome, 

 but for other reasons the novelty of a French 

 racecourse has attractions. Racing in France 

 is no light matter, to be carried out simply by 

 the aid of the stewards and a few functionaries. 

 The municipality, the uiaire, the officers of the 

 various regiments, the gendarmerie, all come 

 into play, and for a few sous the inquirer can 

 purchase a paper headed " Police des Courses 

 de Chevaux," including all that " Le Maire le 

 Vert " has to say on the subject. The hippo- 

 drome, as the course is called, is at a village 

 about a mile and a half distant from the 

 favourite Normandy seaport of which I am 

 writing. Trains stop at the very entrance, from 

 which the masts of vessels in the port are 

 picturesquely visible, and after passing the line 

 of sentries, without which no function in France 

 can be carried out, you find yourself on the 



