This had the effect of parting him from his com-
panions, — ^they flying seawards, and he to the sliingle
which intervenes betwixt the sanda and the Links.
Here he dropped, seemingly to rise no more.
316



A BROWN SKIPE.
" Having reloaded iu case of need, I then ran, u
well as I waa able, to pick bim up. I gained the plac^
and after aome dif&culty, having passed and repassed
>iini several times, I at last found my bird lying
stretched out at full length amongst the pebbles, and
to all appearance a corpse. It was now that I as-
certained with satisfaction and pride, that the great
rarity I had met with was neither more nor less than
a specimen of the Brown Snipe, and a splendid one
it was too, being evidently an old bird. Being.
almost intoxicated with dehght, I sat down, and hav
ing taken aome cotton wadding from my pocket to
wrap round the injured leg, and atop up any other
wound that he might have received, I took him up
for that purpose. But, alas ! there is many a slip be-
tween the cup and the lip.
"Away flew the bird just as I was about to laj
him on my knee; he actually slipped out froa
amongst my very fingers. I fired both barrels
soon as I could get a hold of my gun, sitting thou^.
