poor

birds towards the battery awaiting them. Grouse, when they are sprung, generally fly in the same direction, and thus are tolerably sure to be exposed to the fire of one or more of the guns in ambush. Driving is mostly practised in the latter part of the autumn, when the grouse are all full grown and strong on the wing; and the shots obtained in this manner are always the most difficult, as they glide past like lightning; and a man who can occasionally pull down a bird to each barrel, may consider himself a first flight shot. I must confess that, on several occasions, I have joined driving parties, and killed birds in this manner; but then we were anxious to procure some birds "couté qui couté," and it was also at a period of the year, the beginning of December, when game generally (long bills excepted) was becoming select. It is certainly a hard case for the birds, after they have been harassed and driven about, perhaps daily for the first fortnight or three weeks, and repeatedly afterwards, that they are not allowed to remain in peace until the ensuing season. Were they permitted to do so, the increase of game resulting from the change would be an ample repayment for the loss of the comparatively trifling amusement which the practice of driving affords, and the old birds would lie much better to the dogs. The grouse hold too distinguished a place amongst the game birds of our country, both as to its size, plumage, and localities, for its preservation not to be an object of great interest to the sportsman, and this more particularly in the northern part of England, as the great facilities now afforded through the cheap and rapid transition by the rail from nearly all parts of England, for enjoying a little grousing at a moderate expense, would bid fair to their total extinction at no very distant period. Besides this, the grouse is the only indigenous game bird we have, whose actual feeding is attended with no expense. Their food is chiefly the shoots of the young heather, together with the whortle and cranberry; and although when these fail, they will descend to the cultivated lands, and pick up a scanty subsistence, yet it is then at a time when they can hardly commit any damage.

Another method of obtaining birds is often practised at this period of the year, and not only a most unfair one, but also attended with the loss of many more wounded than those actually killed, as the object is to secure as many at a shot as possible. It is called stalking, and the plan is this:-Grouse are very fond of sitting on the tops of walls, in rows of sometimes a dozen, or more, for the purpose of sunning themselves in summer, or of huddling together for the sake of warmth in winter. In this position they are easily perceived, both from their elevated position, and also the noise made by the crowing of the old cock birds; and then, by hiding near one of their usual haunts, or creeping quietly along the side of the wall, shots of a most deadly description are often obtained raking them "fore and aft," in nautical phraseology, after a very remorseless and antisportsmanlike manner. To the present predilection for the quantity of game produced after a day's sport, rather than for the amusement afforded in finding, and the skill in bringing it down, may, in a great measure, be attributed the increasing scarcity of it in so many parts of the country.

The late discussions, however, as to the proposed repeal of the present game-laws, have been, certainly, productive of some benefit in this respect; although I, for my part, cordially hope that they will continue unaltered. In this respect, the outcry raised against them will prove beneficial. It will be the means of bringing before the public instances of some of the large game-preservers, who, by the ravages committed upon the property of the tenants by the game, and the non-satisfaction of their just claims, have brought down odium upon themselves, the existing laws, and the whole community of sportsmen. If the battue system was abolished, sporting carried on in a fair and moderate manner, and cases of poaching from dire necessity, or very strong temptation, treated not too rigorously, all would feel the benefit of it. The attraction of preserves, over-stocked with game, would be withdrawn, the tenants would no longer complain of their losses, and, instead of a couple of days' slaughter in the course of the year, as many days' moderate sport in the week might be obtained; and this is, I think, the prevailing opinion throughout the country.

From the present appearance of the spring, an excellent supply of birds for the ensuing season may be anticipated. Although there was a very fair average amount of sport last year, yet, from the earliness of the season, and, consequently, the full grown size of the bird, popular expectation, as is often the case, exceeded the reality, and the returns of the various game lists at the end of the season were certainly smaller than, from the number and size of the different packs, were generally expected. The consequence is, that there are now a much larger proportion of old birds remaining, than for many seasons past has been the case; and, unless we have some heavy weather towards the end of the spring, a very abundant supply for both moor and stubble may be reckoned upon for the forthcoming season; and may we be all able to enjoy it thoroughly when it arrives!

D.

"TOUCH AND TAKE."

ENGRAVED BY J. WESTLEY, FROM A PAINTING BY G. ARMFIELD.

This plate is intended as an offering to a portion of the community, among whom we have good reason for ranking some of our warmest admirers; those "rising men" who subscribe for a regular peep at the Magazine, by way of a set-off to Cesar's Commentaries or Xenophon's Travels, and who astonish mother's dear boys and lads from London with glowing accounts of the last run of last Christmas, learned dissertations on the difference between martingales and circingles, and minute particulars as to that strange custom which adopts the fox's best blood as a good and cheap substitute for French rouge. Rabbits and terriers, taken as a compound, one with reference to the

other, are essentially the care of the juvenile sportsman: old hands may occasionally condescend to join in, and show how operations should be commenced, and a proper discretion and silence observed; but the sport, as a sport, cannot be considered beyond a good opening, to teach the young idea how to shoot, and gradually lead him on, until entered to hare, fox, and stag; or even so far as to acknowledge the greeting of a Bengal tiger, or take the value complete in a lead and iron bit of barter with a majestic "tusker"

"So great effects from trivial causes spring.

If allowed to separate the pursuer from the pursued, we could name no variety of the canine species which enjoys a greater popularity either for ornament or use, in her most gracious Majesty Queen Victoria's dominions, than the terrier. With the highest in the land and with "curs of low degree" we have him in equal favour; killing rats by the score in the cadger's boozing-ken, or begging for biscuit in her grace's boudoir; claiming a corner in the kennel of the master of hounds, or following at the heels of the pauper poacher; skinning a cat for the especial delight of a young man, or taking the place of one as the only worldly comfort of an old woman. Indeed, to our notions, under almost any circumstances-either in the bachelor's snuggery, or out for a walk with nurse and the children-there are few more welcome companions than a well-cropt, varmint-looking, "touch-and-take" terrier. Here, however, we fear we shall be at once called to order by some old English sportsman, who proclaims his antipathy to fancy articles, and designates the application of the knife to the ears or tail of a dog as a direct violation of the laws of nature, without any possible benefit to be derived from it. To all this we must perhaps plead guilty, but still the case is not altogether without precedent; in instance of which we may cite that barbarian taste which converts a horse's long, slouching, slovenly dock into a smart, well-carried affair, that fills out the quarter, rounds off the thigh and hock, and adds at least a twenty-pound note to the value of the animal. This rejoinder we think amply sufficient, and consequently shall not in these times of science versus simplicity desert our colours, or refuse to allow a man the name and character of a sportsman, because forsooth he has, to please his own eye, ordered a puppy-dog's ears to be round, or permitted a connoisseur in the art to take off a mouthful of tail. Indeed, putting this cutting and curling question quite out of the question, the beauties of a really rough terrier--and the smooth sort, we may observe, are every day going more out of fashion are not exactly amenable to common rules; for, in addition to his courage, perseverance, and readiness for, with his energy in action, there is his genuine ugliness to be considered. A negative recommendation, which, however society may have learned to prize it in low comedians, private and confidential music masters, and in-door apprentices, is carried to by far the greatest extent in estimating the value of this species of dog; it being an indisputable fact, that the more ugly one appears to the eye of a common observer, the more handsome is he reckoned in the opinion of all whose judgment has been properly cultivated,