AUTUMN IN NORWAY. 
177 
to maintain a good line with regular twenty-five-yard 
intervals, thus sweeping a breadth of a hundred and 
fifty yards ; to beat hard, and when a grouse fell, the 
two nearer boys to be at the spot as soon as the bird. 
The result was we only lost two runners all day. The 
day was gloriously warm and sunny; the ground mostly 
open moor, moderately level, with low thick scrub, but 
intercepted by frequent ravines, precipitous and flanked 
by bog and birch-forest. When we stopped at six 
o’clock, we counted nineteen grouse, an old blackcock, 
and two teal. Of the grouse, ten were old cocks, though 
broods were numerous ! Had we had dear old “Rap” 
or “Nell ”—now pining at home—it is obvious that the 
above bag would have been trebled. Coming down the 
fjeld at night, shot at two woodcocks and bagged one. 
August 23rd. —On same fjeld, one gun, working hard 
with four beaters, got seven grouse (in seven shots) and 
a golden plover. 
August 30th. —Started early for Brokvas-fjeld with 
Helmar and Hjumpe —the professional avocation of the 
latter being that of an elk-hound. From among the 
lowest pines an old caper-cock clattered away, wild : 
shortly afterwards the clamour of fieldfares attracted 
attention, and a big brown buzzard sailed by within 
long shot. The trees were thick, and I must have missed 
him, for a minute later a pair were soaring at safe 
distance. During the climb-out, a piebald hare was 
bagged, and then Hjumpe flushed an old grey-hen, which 
flew clucking into a tree and sat watching the dog 
baying beneath. The correct course was to shoot her 
there, but I refrained, and presently persuaded Hjumpe 
to hunt-out the rough heather whence she had risen. 
