244 
PRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
fond, will allow the whole flock to be shot down, one by one, 
without stirring, provided the shooter takes the precaution of 
shooting that which sits the lowest on the tree, first, is as fabu¬ 
lous, as it is, on the face, ridiculous. 
Mr. Audubon notes this fact, with his wonted accuracy; 
adding that during heavy snow storms he has sometimes killed 
three or four. This is credible enough; starvation will make 
any bird or beast tame, and snow appears, while falling, to 
have a peculiar effect on birds of this order—unlike rain, which 
makes them wild—rendering them very unwilling to rise.— 
Savages in this region of country—I can designate them by no 
other name—often shoot whole bevies of Quail while huddled 
together on the ground in their little circles, during snow 
storms, in this manner, at a single shot. So far, however, are 
such foul practices from deserving to be recorded as modes of 
killing game, that I only speak of them here, in order to uphold 
them, and all who practice them, to the contempt and abhor¬ 
rence of every one who would be termed a sportsman. 
I have been told that these birds exist in such abundance on 
the Kaatskills, and in all that region of country, that it is well 
worth the while to go out in pursuit of them, without reference 
to, or rather with no chance of finding any other species of 
game. This I, at least, shall never attempt; nor shall I ever 
advise any person to do so. I know that they abounded in 
that district of Connecticut of which I have spoken above, as 
was proved by the fact that many scores were offered to me for 
purchase, which had been snared, yet it was impossible to get 
shots at them over dogs. 
Again, throughout the semi-cultivated portions of all the 
Eastern States, and especially in Maine, the woods are literally 
full of them ; yet such are their peculiarities of habit, that it is 
useless to attempt to have sport with them. A man, stealing 
along the old grassy wood roads, keeping absolute silence and 
a bright look out, may manage to pick up a brace or two in the 
course of a day, and this is probably more than the best sports¬ 
man living can effect with the best dogs, in that region of coun¬ 
try J # but that is not sport for sportsmen ! 
