AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 



45 



incomparable speed. There he goes! He passes another 

 stand, from which a second shot, better directed than the 

 first, brings him to the ground. The dogs, the servants, 

 the sportsmen, are now rushing forward to the spot. The 

 hunter who has shot it is congratulated on his skill or good 

 luck, and the chase begins again in some other part of 

 the woods. 



A few lines of explanation may be required (o convey a 

 clear idea of this mode of hunting. Deer are fond of fol- 

 lowing and retracing the paths which they have formerly 

 pursued, and continue to do so even after they have been 

 shot at more than once. These tracks are discovered by 

 persons on horseback in the woods, or a Deer is observed 

 crossing a road, a field, or a small stream. When this has 

 been noticed twice, the Deer may be shot from the places 

 called stands by the sportsman, who is stationed there, 

 and waits for it, a line of stands being generally formed so 

 as to cross the path which the game will follow. The per- 

 son who ascertains the usual pass of the game, or disco- 

 vers the parts where the animal feeds or lies down during 

 the day, gives intimation to his friends, who then pre- 

 pare for the chase. The servants start the Deer with the 

 hounds, and, by good management, generally succeed in 

 making it run the course that will soonest bring it to its 

 death. But, should the Deer be cautious, and take ano- 

 ther course, the hunters, mounted on swift horses, gallop 

 through the woods to intercept it, guided by the sound of 

 the horns and the cry of the dogs, and frequently succeed 

 in shooting it. This sport is extremely agreeable, and 

 proves successful on almost every occasion.: — Audubon. 



ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE PARTRIDGE. 



The favourite game bird of the Sportsman, is the 

 Partridge, and towards it he always manifests feelings of 

 solicitude, to preserve it from undue destruction, whether 

 by the severity of our winters, or the rapacity of its ene- 

 mies; and the expense which he frequently incurs, to- 

 wards the accomplishment of this object, evidently proves, 

 that he regards this interesting bird altogether as a source 

 of pleasure, and not of profit, and when he pursues them 

 for recreation, although he is anxious to secure a full bag, 

 and prove that he is worthy of the title he claims, he is 

 often checked, in the midst of his success, by feelings 

 which prompt him to forbear further destruction. Has 

 not every true Sportsman, sometime in the course of his 

 experience, — when, on the close of a successful day's hunt 

 found himself in the midst of a well scattered covey, and 



M 



while he was Working destruction to the right and left, — 

 felt such sensations creeping over him, as to cause him 

 suddenly to desist from further pursuit ? And what 

 is it that checks him in the harvest he is gathering? — 

 It is not consciousness of doing wrong, that bids him for- 

 bear, for there is no moral responsibility attached to the 

 action; but it is from a conviction, that further prosecution 

 of his success on that covey, will dry up the source of 

 his future pleasure, and leave none to produce offspring 

 for the next season. 



No Sportsman will visit the remaining part of a covey, 

 after he has reduced it to four or five birds. This is one 

 method of preserving game, and may be called protection 

 by forbearance. 



Some years since, a large number of Partridges were 

 purchased and kept through the winter season, by the 

 united efforts of a number of Sportsmen in Philadelphia, 

 and the neighbouring parts of New- jersey. The number 

 of birds, I think, exceeded two thousand^ and when set at 

 liberty, in the following spring, were let off in pairs over 

 a very extensive part of the neighbourhood. The benefit 

 arising from this course, was manifested during the fol- 

 lowing season; but this plan, which one would think 

 should conciliate the friendship of the farmers, and excite 

 good will towards those gentlemen who effected this ob- 

 ject, had on the minds of many a contrary effect, although 

 the birds were bought of them in the winter, and returned 

 again in March. 



In the succeeding fall, many landholders came to. a re- 

 solution to prevent Sportsmen from shooting on their 

 grounds; and accordingly printed notices were signed by 

 them, and circulated throughout the neighbourhood, warn- 

 ing all gunners from trespassing on their farms, under the 

 severest penalties of the law. This, of course, was a 

 check to like operations in future years; and I believe it 

 has never been attempted, to any extent, since. Many 

 Sportsmen, however, purchase all the living birds to be 

 met with on sale, and keep them over the winter, and re- 

 lease them again in the spring. This may pass, then, as 

 the second method of preserving game, viz. protection 

 by sustenance. 



The last manner of preserving the Partridge, is by per- 

 secution. Yes, strange as it may appear, moderate perse- 

 cution has a tendency to protect game. It is natural for 

 inferior animals to avoid the persecution of their superiors, 

 and there are none whose timidity is more easily excited 

 than that of the Partridge. When undisturbed, these 

 birds will visit the stackyards and gardens, and even mix 

 with the domestic fowls, to share their food. But a little 

 persecution will soon drive them to seek shelter in the 

 brakes and thickets of the neighbourhood; before, they 



