As their colour so nearly resembles that of the rocks, or large stones, on which they are sitting, they are not so readily seen as might be expected, although within the ordinary range of sight. A sitting shot is frequently the only chance that presents itself, as they may be out of sight the moment they leave the edge of the rock on which you may perceive them; they, however, fly but short distances, so that by following them up, if there be any quantity on the mountain, you may fill your game-bag; but you will find it rather hard work, as these birds never leave the rocky part of the mountain, and the walking will necessarily be very rough and bad, and you must make up your mind to a fall or two.

I recollect, some few years ago, when in Inverness-shire, accompanying some friends to a high mountain expressly for the purpose of shooting ptarmigan. It was in the month of September; the morning was very fine. As we were on ground abounding with game, we killed grouse and black game before reaching the mountain, and saw several roebuck; but as a climax to this commencement, on arriving at the base of the mountain, we saw five large red deer taking their departure, and winding their way round the side of the mountain, and immediately above them two immense eagles hovering; but they soon disappeared with the deer, and we commenced our

ascent, by no means an easy task, difficulties increasing with our progress. It really appeared an endless job, what with the acclivity and the height, which was so very much beyond what we expected from our estimate of the distance at first sight. In fact, the surface of a high mountain is as deceptive as that of a large sea-water-loch, when you look at it from the shore, and try it afterwards with a pair of oars. We, however, accomplished our task by reaching the summit, and very soon found some ptarmigan; but we had no sooner commenced shooting than a thick mist came on, immediately succeeded by a most copious fall of rain, so that we could only kill a few brace, and before we could reach the bottom, and get access to our Mackintoshes, which we had left there with our ponies and game-baskets, we were well soaked; but this was a very common occurrence, almost a daily one, as it rained almost every day, and the finest and most cloudless morning was no guarantee for the remainder of the day being fine.

A singular circumstance occurred on our reaching our game-baskets, rather reversing the spirit of the old adage, 'Catch a weasel asleep.' The game-panniers had been removed from the ponies' backs and placed on the ground, so as to allow the ponies to feed at liberty till our return. One of the gillies, on replacing his pannier, happened

to raise the lid, and discovered that a weasel, attracted no doubt by the savoury smell of the grouse, had managed to raise the lid and get into the basket, without being able to effect his escape. His fate was of course, immediately on our return home, decided by the terriers-so much for the termination of this day's sport.

PARTRIDGE SHOOTING.

AFTER grouse shooting, the pursuit of partridges becomes very tame work, more especially in those counties in England where these birds abound to such an extent, that one large turnip-field will furnish a day's sport to a party of six or more guns, the surrounding stubbles having been previously driven for this purpose. Boys, or a man on a pony, with a brace of wild spaniels, may be employed. I have known as many as eighty brace of partridges killed in one turnip-field in this manner, the field being extensive and the turnips close and thick, and the day exactly suitable. There were six guns; no dogs, except one or two retrievers. The field was walked over or beaten three times during the day. After the second beat the party took lunch; the last beat was the most productive. The guns were at regular dis

tances from each other, keepers and game carriers walking between them. The success of this sort of shooting depends upon method, regularity, and order. The line must be rigidly kept, and after the discharge of even one shot, the party must halt until the gun be reloaded, and when all right' is pronounced, may advance, the keepers picking up the birds as they proceed.

This sport is generally commenced between 10 and 11 o'clock, it being found, as in grouse shooting, adverse to good and successful sport to disturb the birds before they have finished feeding, and the dew be off. And, moreover, between the hours of 10 and 6, there is abundance of time to satisfy any reasonable appetite for shooting, and to make an excellent bag. If the day be fine and dry, the dew off, and you use dogs, the birds, when found and shot at in the stubbles, will immediately fly to and drop in the first thick piece of clover or turnips, or thick hedgerow, whereas, had you found them at daybreak, they would have dropped on some bare place and taken a second flight.

It is difficult to give precise instructions as to partridge shooting, as they of necessity must be relative to the country in which it is pursued. In Suffolk and Norfolk, where partridges are most numerous, and turnip-fields abound, it may be pursued without the use of either pointer or setter,

merely by having the stubbles driven; but, to my taste, shooting loses the greater part of its charm without the use of dogs. It must, however, on the other hand, be admitted, that to those who are fond of having a number of shots, without much fatigue, and are indifferent as to using dogs, that there are no counties like Suffolk and Norfolk for this description of shooting. One hundred and ten brace of partridges were once killed by one gun in one day. The ground selected was the best in the county, and the shot, Sir R. S., admitted to be first-rate.

The contiguous county, Cambridgeshire, is almost as good. From Newmarket to Thetford, there is a vast extent of country abounding in game, and particularly partridges, the soil being exactly suitable for breeding, and also abounding in every variety of food, and birds are so numerous, that the only difficulty is to keep them down. by fair shooting; but all counties are not so fortunate in this respect, and the difficulty in too many is the other way, in which case the sportsman must be satisfied with a few brace, and to obtain them, have good dogs, be an excellent walker, good shot, and skilful in his tactics. But I am

inclined to believe that the man who can kill with a brace of good dogs his twelve or fifteen brace over a wild, unpreserved country, will enjoy his sport much more, in the variety afforded him by