which he generally will find himself after he has killed a few birds in succession.

So little is the art of pigeon shooting the criterion of a good shot, that many of the very best performers at this are scarcely third-rate shots at other birds, and some of them perfect cockneys in every other kind of shooting. In short, pigeon shooting is simply this, if you miss, you are disgraced and if you kill, you get no credit. It must, however, be admitted, that there is more difficulty in shooting pigeons at a regular match than many bystanders are aware of. The man who has to exhibit before hundreds of people, and is, perhaps, betting hundreds of pounds, feels in general a very different sensation from the one who stands merely as a spectator, perfectly composed, and who in this state, is confident of being able to beat those who are engaged in the match, although they may be shooting infinitely better than he perhaps could do, if placed in their situation. In this, as in every thing else, therefore, it is far, very far easier to be a fault-finder than a performer; because most things fall so decidedly short of perfection, that any simpleton may set up for the one, while, on the contrary, a man must have acquired some little knowledge, however superficial, before he can attempt the other.

Of wild pigeons, or (more properly speaking) doves, there are three kinds: the

STOCK, or WILD PIGEON. Columba nas Le biset.

RING, CUSHAT, or QUEEST. Columba Palumbas — Le pigeon ramier. TURTLE. Columba Turtur La tourterelle.

The second of these, the most common, is almost universally known by the name of woodpigeon; and if not

too much fed on turnips, and kept till tender, is deservedly esteemed an excellent bird. The turtledove, however, is the best of the three; but being only a summer visitor, it generally escapes the notice of the shooter; except in the early part of September, when birds of this description are often sprung from the pea fields.

For shooting woodpigeons there are various contrivances, which like those for all other wild birds, consist chiefly in waiting for them, as this always answers so much better than attempting to follow them. Some hide themselves. among the trees, where they come to roost about sunset: others take them at perch, after the fall of the leaf, by moon-light* (the way poachers shoot pheasants); and many are killed by boys in the summer, who conceal themselves in a harbour near the ponds where these birds and the doves go to drink. But, after all, the most effectual way is to shoot them when they come to the turnips in snowy weather. If the frost is so hard that you cannot approach them, under cover of a fence, without making a noise on the white ice, you must, after moving them, wait to leeward, for their return. If you can make place in a hedge, it is preferable to the common plan of putting up hurdles covered with straw, as the woodpigeons are apt to notice and feed out of reach of them. These birds are fond of frequenting beech trees, and feeding on the nuts that fall from them.

To get shots at woodpigeons round a fir clump, or

* This the woodpigeons will not allow you to do, unless the trees are clear of underwood; as the least rustling of bushes will put them to flight. For this reason (as Mr. Daniel very justly remarks) they are an excellent night-signal to keepers, when poachers have availed themselves of boisterous weather to attack a preserved covert.

plantation, send your man on the opposite side to drive them out before you; or they will, ten to one, go off under cover of the tree from which they fly. By waiting concealed in the covert, you may often stand in one place, where fresh birds will continue dropping into the boughs, till you have half filled your bag with them. Observe one thing, however, or you may not kill a bird in a week! -Recollect that a woodpigeon, directly he perches, begins to reconnoitre his safety in every direction; and if you move but a finger when he first alights, he will instantly take wing. But if you will only wait perfectly still for half a minute, you may then present and fire at him as easily as at an owl.

Although the ringdove or woodpigeon seldom builds anywhere but in dark evergreen trees, such as yew trees, firs, &c., yet, in 1824, one of these birds entered a dovehouse of mine; made her nest in company with the tame pigeons, and hatched her eggs there; notwithstanding a man was repeatedly going in to clean out the place, and take young pigeons. Here she brought up her two young ones, and then took them off with her. This is almost as singular as the circumstance of a partridge, in 1778, having reared sixteen young ones up in a pollard tree, through which went the bars of the stile in a public footpath. This happened in Essex, on a manor of my late father, of whom Mr. Daniel had the deputation, and was an eyewitness to the circumstance. The particulars of this he very correctly stated in his "Rural Sports."

PLOVER.

Of the plover tribe there are six sorts:- viz.

GREAT PLOVER (already named among the Curlews).

BASTARD PLOVER, LAPWING, or PEEWIT.-Charadrius VanellusLe vanneau.

The one famous for its eggs.

Old peewits, as we all know, fly round a dog, in order to mislead him from the nest; and I have observed that the young ones, about July or August, frequently do the same: perhaps in imitation of the parent bird. With a dog, therefore, one who agrees with the French proverb * as to their being such a delicacy, may be able to kill several of these birds in the marshes where they frequent. The afternoon is the best time, as peewits prefer the uplands during the morning.

GOLDEN PLOVER. Charadrius pluvialis - Le pluvier doré.
GRAY PLOVER. Tringa Squatarola-Le vanneau pluvier.
DOTTEREL. Charadrius Morinellus Le guignard.

RING DOTTEREL. RING PLOVER, or SEA LARK. Charadrius Hiaticula Le petit pluvier à collier.

The gray plover and ring dotterel, are coast birds: the others chiefly frequent the marshes and fallows inland, where they feed on worms.

The golden plovers, gray plovers, and large dotterels are worth more than all the others, either to shoot, or for the table. The former, when in large flocks, are wild, and must, therefore, be followed with caution; the latter are easier of access, though not so plentiful. Golden plover were formerly killed in great plenty by means of a stalking horse. If you fire at these birds as they fly

"Qui n'a pas mangé de vanneau, ne sait pas ce que gibier vaut."

over you, they will dart down for the moment, and spread in every direction; so that, by taking a random shot with your first barrel, you may often bring down the birds to a fair one for your second. If a flock of golden plovers should alight within shot of you, fire directly; or in a few minutes, they will be dispersed all over the field.

If admissible to bring together land and water birds, we may add to this list, the

LONG-LEGGED PLOVER, or LONGSHANKS. Charadrius Himantopus - L'échasse.

This plover, and the sanderling, Bewick places by themselves, as a separate Genus, at the commencement of his second volume.

PREY, BIRDS OF.

To shoot the various birds of prey, which belong to the falcon tribe, such as buzzards, kites, hawks, falcons, &c. &c., the easiest and most destructive method is to watch. the coppices in the breeding season, or induce the boys, by a trifling reward, to find out their nests. You should wait till the female sits hard on her eggs; and then go, late in the evening, with some large shot in a duck gun; by which means you may either take her as she flies out of the tree, or blow up the whole concern by firing through the

nest.

This is a more certain, and much less cruel way to destroy mischievous birds than by indiscriminately shooting or catching them at a distance from their nests; where, perhaps, their young ones, having been hatched, are left to be starved with hunger.