226 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



the rooks caw and scold incessantly, until a veritable 

 pandemonium ensues. The sharp snap of " nitro " is 

 replied to by the heavier and duller report of the good 

 old-fashioned black powder, to which several of the 

 worthy farmers present still swear as the most reliable 

 explosive under the sun, and ever and anon the " crack " 

 of a " pea-rifle " is heard above the yelling, cawing, and 

 continuous " burning " of gunpowder, while a perfect 

 shower of black forms fall to earth from high up amongst 

 the topmost twigs of the timber trees, rebounding from 

 bough to bough in their descent, like so many india- 

 rubber balls. Here and there a dead bird may be seen 

 suspended by one leg, its talons having closed upon a 

 small branch in the death-throes, while the " nesters " 

 and " branchers " which are either too scared or too 

 weak to fly, squark vociferously in their wind-rocked 

 twig nurseries and upon the swaying boughs. At length 

 all those of the stronger birds which were fortunate 

 enough to escape the contents of the 12-, 16-, and 20- 

 bores during the earlier stages of the shooting have 

 flown to quieter and safer groves, and, as no sportsman 

 worthy of the name would dream of potting off the 

 " branchers " with a scatter-gun, the " rifle brigade " 

 commence picking off the " tallest " and most difficult 

 of the black dots, moving amidst the deHcate green 

 foliage high overhead. 



Excellent practice is this, for, although a well-made 

 rook-rifle is true " to a hair " up to the range it is sighted 

 for, a very significant branch is sufficient to turn one 

 of the tiny projectiles, which these beautiful little weapons 

 throw, out of the true alignment. 



Three of the party, including the curate, proved 



