WOOD-PIGEONS AND WILD-FOWL 149 
on, and, curiously enough, pigeons do not care for 
them till decidedly ripe. 
The most curious pigeon-shooting that ever fell 
to my lot was more like walking up partridges. I 
discovered it quite by accident. I had occasion to 
cut across a huge open field, and walked along a 
furrow through some clover. I had not gone far 
when up got a pigeon, and a little farther on another, 
and so on, till I found myself with six pigeons in my 
pocket. The pigeons had discovered some self- 
sown barley among the clover, which was neither 
thick nor high. I must have bagged the six while 
walking not more than three hundred yards straight 
up the furrow. The hearing of wood-pigeons is 
much less keen than most people suppose—infinitely 
inferior to that of partridges and pheasants—but I 
never have met with pigeons harder of hearing than 
were these. It seemed incredible that the first shot 
I fired should not have put up every pigeon in the 
field. I had not time, neither did I want any more 
pigeons, nor had I many more cartridges, nor 
perhaps would the farmer have appreciated it ; but 
to have walked the whole of that clover-field must 
have resulted in a good bag. I came that way next 
day, but saw no more pigeons. 
The secret of getting the cream of pigeon-shooting 
when the birds come to the colouring wheat is to 
have first innings at each field. They will not come 
to a field with the same gluttonous abandon after a 
