SHOOTING 333 



to act as drains, I believe, and tliese abounded with 

 snipe ; and after you had flushed the common ones, 

 if you hunted carefully a good many jacks could be 

 found. The ditches were very good for ducks. By 

 help of the hedges you could get up to them un- 

 perceived, and many a fine mallard I got here. 

 Hares were also fond of the rough grass, and par- 

 tridges might usually be found in the middle of the 

 day. I remember bagging one December day six 

 and a half couple of ducks, eleven couple of snipe, 

 besides some jacks, three hares, and three and a 

 half brace of birds. This does not sound much, 

 but to me it was a thoroughly enjoyable day. No 

 keeper following at one's heels, full of advice, but 

 just going where and how I pleased ; then the suc- 

 cessful stalk after ducks, and the unexpected luck 

 wdth partridges and hares, in addition to the snipe, 

 have indelibly impressed this day on my memory. 

 Being in this neighbourhood a short time ago, I 

 went down to look at my favourite ground, and 

 found that the large marshy common, with a few 

 donkeys and some wretched cows trying to get a 

 living off it, had been drained, and subdivided by 

 neat post and rail fences, and sheep were grazing 

 where snipe used to abound. The only thing un- 

 changed was the old ditch. I suppose it is all 

 right, but I prefer the ducks and snipe. 

 I z 



