AUTUMN SHOOTING. 325 
while one is passing him, until the back is fairly turned on 
him, and then off and away, with a startling whirr of his 
pinions, leaving nothing by which to judge of his direc- 
tion, when the shooter has wheeled in great trepidation 
and anxiety, but a few sprays of the underwood still 
shaking, in the breathless calm of the woodland, where 
his rapid flight has stirred them. 
With reference to the hunting of dogs on quail, I have 
no other instructions to give than those laid down before 
in reference to snipe, except that in covert it is necessary 
to keep a doubly watchful eye on all their movements, 
to be constantly on the guard that they shall not steal 
away, out of range, which if they do, they will unquestion- 
ably run riot; and, if one desire to have good sport at 
present, and to preserve his dogs good for the future, to 
work well up to them with the gun. and by no means to 
lag behind, however hot the afternoon, however thick the 
covert, however hard the work. 
The right charge is 1} oz. of No. 8 shot, with a 
cartridge of the same weight and number in the second 
barrel, and this will tell a tale on the hares and ruffed 
grouse which one may chance to encounter. 
With regard to the latter bird, the difficulty of bagging 
him, if not much exaggerated, is entirely mis-stated, and 
attributed to false causes. It is true, he is amazingly fleet 
and powerful on his pinions, when he is once fully under 
way, and shooting down wind with his wings set and motion- 
less. Atsuch times one must aim a full yard ahead of 
him, at thirty-five or forty paces, and then if your gun be 
