of, the larch firs, for which he flies to perch; and send some one round to drive him from the stubble, where, about sunrise, the black-game may be seen feeding like rooks. In the North, &c., the female of this species is called gray-hen, but in the New Forest both male and female are collectively named heathpoults.

The black-game rise somewhat like a young pheasant, and are, I conceive, to one divested of anxiety,

author seems fond of "the devil," and therefore puts one in mind of him,) the book, as a fancy thing, is by no means badly written; and (barring a little kicking over the trace now and then, for which he must take his chance about getting "pulled up,") all in a gentlemanly style. But as for instruction in sporting you might as well read Hudibras.

Oh dear! I had all but forgotten to notice another sporting author-the immaculate Mr. T. B. Johnson; and had I not done so, the poor old fellow would have never forgiven me; as he is now working hard "at all tacks" to attract notoriety, or rather the gold and silver fish of the gudgeon tribe. What an omission would this have been! Why, he is the very Paganini of the book-makers! He can spin out any theme with his cranium as you would work up a lather with Naples' soap-ay, and shave as well, too! But really he is too severe on me. Now, this is bad policy on his part; because, I not long ago burnt a bushel basketful of discarded articles and memorandums, too stale for my work, that I could have sent him down by the Liverpool waggon, as valuable matter for one of his new publications, whereby his gleanings would have been only twenty, instead of fifty, years out of date.

So much for the two latter sporting authors who have thought proper to review my humble productions; and therefore it would be bad manners on my part not to return the compliment.

A sad digression from the capercaile! mais n'importe, it is not much the fashion to read notes, or (as some rod-of-iron critics call them) "blunder-marks," in the present age of intellect.

and in good nerve, easy birds to shoot: more so than a grouse or partridge.

BLACK-GAME SHOOTING ON THE BORDERS OF HANTS AND DORSET.

At the commencement of the season, the blackgame here lie tolerably well, and particularly if the weather is so hot as to drive them down to the bogs. The gray-hen generally remains with the pack, which seldom consists of more than five or six birds. Nine or ten is considered a very large pack, except in winter, when the cock birds all congregate together in one flock; and, in general, defy every kind of fair shooting, as well as the few bungling artifices that gamekeepers are master of, with regard to wild birds. The keepers' only chance, therefore, is to wait concealed for their flight; as a black-cock, although one of the wildest birds in existence, will, when once on the wing, seldom break his course or raise his flight, let what will intercept him. The old cock birds, even at the beginning of the season, are very difficult of access; as, on being approached, they keep running forward instead of remaining with the pack.

The best, or, at all events, one of the best day's black-game shooting that was ever known, I believe, in these parts, I had with the late Mr. John Ponton at Uddens, on the 25th of August, 1825.* We found,

* Black-game shooting, as will be seen by the game laws hereafter inserted, does not begin in the New Forest, nor in Devonshire nor Somersetshire, till the 1st of September. But every where else

on this gentleman's manor, eleven brace in one day, which was considered, by the keepers, extraordinary success; and we killed eight brace without missing a shot. But notwithstanding all our birds were as strong, and as large, as the old ones, we never even saw an old cock the whole day.

The black-game here are briefly called "poults." The fagging for them is the hardest labour of any sport I know, because you have to work, in the hottest weather, through stiff heath, which is so much intercepted by fir plantations and bogs, as, for the most part, to prevent your riding; and, from the very few shots that you are likely to get in the day, you have not the same encouragement, as in the abundant sport of grouse shooting. But notwithstanding all, I was never so much pleased with any day's sport as with my first day's black-game shooting in England.

RED GROUSE, GORCOCK, or MOORCOCK (the common muir game). Tetrao Scoticus- L'attagas.

WHITE GROUSE, or PTARMIGAN. gopède.

Tetrao Lagopus- Le la

These birds, instead of becoming wild in the winter, like the two others, may, at any time, be easily shot, if we can but reach the almost inaccessible parts of the northern mountains which they frequent.

They may here be seen on the ground, standing

the first day is the 20th of August. Not being in the bounds of the New Forest, therefore, we began even five days after the time; consequently were not transgressing the law, as it might appear, without this explanation.

with the greatest composure, and looking like white pigeons; and are not unfrequently killed with sticks

or stones.

GUINEAFOWL, PINTADO, or PEARLED-HEN. mida Meleagris-La pintade.

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Although guineafowls, as well as turkeys, and even peacocks, are sometimes turned out in gentlemen's preserves, yet they can only be considered as poultry; and my sole reason, therefore, for making mention of them is to observe what excellent birds they are to give the alarm, in the event of poachers entering a covert, or thieves lurking about your premises by night.

GULLS.

There are thirteen sorts of gulls; and as these are birds which no one would ever think of dressing, it is not generally known, that, although scarcely eatable any other way, they make an excellent substitute for giblet soup: for this purpose their skins must be taken off.

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If you shoot a gull, let him lie, and the others will keep flying about the place. You will always observe that gulls, terns, or sea swallows*, &c. contrive to face in hovering round; knowing that they are almost impenetrable when in this direction; prefer therefore

you

* These birds breed by thousands on the large tract of shingle, by Dungeness and Lydd, where they are called kipps. Their eggs are sold in great numbers among those of the greenplover or peewit.

shooting at them in any other, as you will then have more chance of bringing them down, although at three times the distance.

HARES.

Always endeavour to shoot a hare crossing, and consider the head as your object. Withhold shooting at her when coming to you, until she is very close, or her skull will act as a shield against your charge.

If a hare canters past, and you are behind a hedge at feeding time, she will often stop, and sit up if you whistle. This I name to facilitate a shot for a schoolboy.

Of these there are two sorts; the COMMON (Lepus timidus - Lelièvre); and the ALPINE or WHITE HARE, which frequents the Highland mountains, and goes to earth (or rather into the clefts of rock) like a fox.

HERON, or HERONSHAW. Ardea major-Le heron hupé.

Although one of the most difficult birds to approach by land, yet the heron is not quite so shy of a boat as might be expected. The best time to kill herons is to wait for them, at dusk or by moonlight, either near the brooks, rivers, or water meadows, or under the trees adjoining, on which they often assemble before they begin their havoc among the fisheries. The shooter may either remain in a dark dress against a bush or hedge, or in a light-coloured punt and light dress on the water; where he should keep by the side, or under the shade of the bank. The herons will, in either of these situations, come close to him before

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