THE JAPANESE PHEASANT. I;;) 



T ht'ard a iif.ite wliicli T took to be tho crowini^- of a, mc]^ 

 ])lio:isnnt at a sliort distance, I availed myself of the excellent 

 ciivcr, and, crawlinn' cautiously on my bands ;i.ud knees, 1 

 succeeded in appvoacliini;' liim within about fifteen yards. 

 Having tlie advantage of tho wind and a foggy atmos])herf, 

 and being moreover concealed by tho rocks and shrubs, 1 

 could indulge in quietly observing liim and his family. (.)n a 

 sniidl sandy ])atcli were an adult cock and three hens busy iii 

 takino- their breakfast, which consisted of the berries alrendv 

 mentioned sfrowiu"- hereabouts in abundance. From time to 

 time the lord of this little family^ stopped in his repast and 

 crowed his shrill war-cry, which was answered by a rival on 

 audther hill at souu' distance. At other moments, again, 

 when the sun broke forth for a short time, all stretched 

 themselves in the goblen rays, and rolling in the sand, 

 sIkiiiIv the moi'uing dew from their fine plumage. It was 

 a. beautiful sight, and I looked upon it with exceeding 

 pleasure; so much, indeed, that I could mjt find the heart 

 to destroy this little scene of domestic happiness by a leaden 

 shower from my fowling-piece. Suddenly the birds showed signs 

 of uneasiness, and I soon discovered the cause in a Japanese 

 root-digger coming from the opposite direction. I theretore 

 took up my gun, and, standing on my feet, I'aised the binls 

 also, and as they flew towards the next hill, I had the good 

 fortune to Ijring down the cock with one barrel of my gun 

 and one of the lions "with the other. 



'■'The Japanese, who came up after I had loaded my gun 

 and secured my game, hjoked with some astonishment at the 

 stranger, for I was certainly the first b)reigncr who had 

 lieen ill pursuit of game on the hunting grounds of Nii)hon. 

 Ue evidently asked me several questions, which 1 was not, of 

 course, able to understand, but i'roni his signs and the 

 frequent repetition of the word " stat/.oo " (two), I inferred 

 that he in(|nired whether T had fired twice in such quick 

 succession with one gun. 1 nodded and explained to him as 

 w-ell as I could the nature of my doiible-biirrelled gun, and 



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