AUTUMN SHOOTING. «= - 317% 
grouse and hare more particularly, without being, as a 
general thing, directly sought for of set purpose. It is 
not exactly so with woodcock, though it is not advisable 
to endeavor to find these early in the day, in autumn 
shooting, for, if one do so, he is likely to miss the quail 
while they are on the feed, and when that is the case, hiy 
chance of making a bag will be a poor one. 
On starting out in the morning, which it is unnecessary 
to do so early as many persons imagine, unless one has a 
long distance to drive or walk before reaching his ground, 
‘the first thing is to know the ground, and then to consider 
how to beat. 
I should consider eight o’clock in the morning to be 
quite sufficiently early to begin beating for quail, especially 
as the season advances. It is not well to disturb birds in 
their roosting-places, before they have moved, as in that 
case they are apt to go away in a body without dispersing, 
and to lay up for the day, thoroughly alarmed, in some 
cunning, out-of-the-way nook, in which it is a hundred to 
one against finding them. 
Until the dew is sufficiently exhaled to allow the birds 
to squat without wetting the plumage on their breasts, it 
is useless to expect them to lie to the dog; and if there 
have been a white frost, while that is in process of ex- 
halation there is not a chance of the scent lying. 
It is not, however, on this account desirable to wait 
until the grass is dry, or the hoar-frost all completely ex- 
haled; for, were that the rule, on some days in November 
one would have to wait until to-morrow. As soon, there- 
fore, as, judging from the morning, quail are likely to be 
