QUAIL. 453 



stump or fence-corner, all seated in a space less than the circumference of a half bushel 

 measure, or even closer on a cold -winter day, and betrays their confidence by firing upon, 

 them in this unsuspecting attitude, filling his bag with the dead, and marching off, 

 having the brand of "sneak-thief" upon bis brow, is a pot-hunter. He too, who with 

 a show of indifference, rides about, pretending to be overseeing his own affairs, whistling 

 around and around, until the poor unsuspecting birds, in order to get out of his way, 

 nnconsoiously walk into a net prepared for them, and as a reward for their confiding 

 freindship, triumphantly pinches their heads, is a pot-hunter. Against such they have 

 no protection. When these birds have warning of danger and wish to evade detectiony 

 or when closely pursued, they will conceal themselves against the observation of their 

 foes in the most magical manner ; and if Eatisfied they are unobserved, will no<t move 

 sometimes until they have suffered themselves to be captured on the spot. It is quite 

 amusing to witness the changes that come over the dreams of the amateur sportsman, 

 when he fails to put up his expected birds. He knows where they are, for he marked 

 them all down in the meadow of short grass, within a few yards of a stump or tree . 

 Then, it is such a commentary on his dogs, for he knows they are all right — never better, 

 truer noses ; still they go, over and over, round and round, without coming to a point. 

 There, that dog has flushed a bird. Now he is assured they are all within twenty feet 

 of that place ; and he renews his search, and keeps his dogs going over and over the 

 same ground, until both dogs and gunner disgusted, quit the place. How they got 

 away, and where they all went to, and why that single bird remained where the covey 

 went down, and why the dogs did not point that bird, all pass through the mind of the 

 hunter as he leasurely marches on in search of better luck. He perhaps meets his ex- 

 perienced friend, to whom he relates his disappointment, and who, in turn, proposes after 

 a given time to return to the meadow, stump or tree. They do so, and every dog comes 

 to a point. Down come three birds. The dogs move cautiously, in a moment again, 

 stand. This repeated until the last bird has gone the gantlet. Experience of this kind 

 is not a novelty, but occurs frequently. A few years since I was out with a friend, and 

 we flashed a very large covey, and marked them down accurately on an elevated piece 

 of ground in a woodland pasture. The grass was short, and there was not even a weed 

 or brier, and but here and there a large tree. We moved forward with three dogs, ex- 

 pecting to bring on an engagement at once. We made the dogs approach cautiously, 

 giving them warning that game was in the immediate vicinity, but they arrived at the 

 identical spot where we saw as many as thirty birds alight, without making the least 

 ■demonstration whatever that there was anything unusual about th3 place. We knew 

 better, and made them go over and over, crossing and re-orossing, until it seemed every 

 foot and even every inch of ground had been most thoroughly examined. We did this 

 until two sportsmen and three good dogs gave up the pursuit. It was now past noon, 

 and we sat down on the grass and uncorked our canteens and opened up the lunch. We 

 were eating, talking and laughing, occasionally rewarding the dogs with a cracker, when 

 my friend, by way of sport, said, "Look at old Tom, he is on a point." The dog was 

 half standing, half down, with his nose thrown down under his chest, between his front 

 legs. Sure enough he was on a point, for there was the bird, with its bright black eyes, 

 only partially concealed by a leaf, almost under the dogs body. My friend placed hi» 

 hat over it and caught it, without moving from the dinner- table. At that instant another 

 dog made a point within six inches of my feet. I saw the bird at once, and attempted 

 to capture it with my hand but it made its escape. This was the signal for a general 

 move, and the whole covey rose from all around and about us. The concert of their 

 actions in the manner of going down, retaining scent, remaining still under the most 



