BRITISH BIRDS OF FASTEST FLIGHT 29 
then flushed the wild fowl all simultaneously. In 
every case without any exception the first bird 
overhauled and brought to the ground has been a 
teal, and in the case of a long flight when every 
bird has been flying for its life, the further they 
go the further the teal lag behind the wild ducks. 
The same remarks apply to woodcock and snipe, 
to black game and grouse, to pheasants and par- 
tridges — all of which I have flushed simultaneously 
in front of hawks." 
In dealing with the same point in a letter 
written to me. Major Radclyfl'e makes the follow- 
ing interesting observations : 
"... Few people realise that a pheasant flies 
much faster than a partridge when they have both 
been going a short distance. If you flush an old 
cock pheasant and a covey of partridges together 
in a big field of turnips, you will see the partridges 
are quickest ' off" the mark ' and away with a bit 
of a lead, but the pheasant will catch them, and 
be first over the fence if they have 200 or 300 yards 
to go. 
" Again take as an example a woodcock and a 
snipe. I have several times flushed these two 
birds together, and in no time the woodcock has 
left the snipe far behind him, and yet I believe 
