flowed their natural boundaries, and ushered their waters into the already cultivated lands.

There were other birds, which are now found missing in these parts, which bore a notable character in their day, and these were the heron and the bittern. The former may be witnessed distributed pretty generally throughout the country where our tide-ways are to be met with; but the latter bird is exceedingly scarce in this country, and is not known to breed here. A remnant of this species of ciconia (Ardea stellaris) is to be met with amid the craggy defiles of Scotland, but withal it is exceedingly rare.

It was by no means an uncommon occurrence for the boors of Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, in by-gone times, to attach a superstitious importance to the intonation of the bittern. Various conjectures have been entertained, from time to time, that the note of this bird was of a supernatural tendency, and boded ill-luck. It was in some parts designated the mire-drum, and imparted a course of unpleasant feelings to those whose ears might have been assailed by its booming. Thomson, the poet, accounts for the tones it produces by indulging an idea that they are thrown out by means of the bird introducing his beak into a reed, and inflating its breath into the cavity whilst it is immersed in the water, when he uses the expression

"With bill engulphed."

But in relation more immediately to flappers or young wild-ducks, it is a puzzling question to solve as to where they are bred. The parent birds are exceedingly capricious in the choice of the locality for their nidification. In some instances, they have been known to select dry spots for the above purpose, far removed from any water. And here, it would seem that they had omitted one of the most essential duties pertinent to their nature, in prosecuting the welfare and the well-being of their pulli; for it would appear, from the natural formation of the tender bills of the ducklings, that a soft course of diet, after the character of pabulum, would be indispensable to the physical alimentary wants of the young infant broods. But such does not appear to be the case with them. Slugs and worms may be readily picked up during the dews prevalent in the early summer months, and these may in some measure operate as a substitute for the immediate presence of water; but it does not occur to me as being suitable to the indole or natural disposition of these birds, ou their breaking the shell, to prove wholly destitute of an element so highly necessary to their support and existence. I have been informed that wild-ducks have been known to hatch their eggs in the cavities of trees; and, indeed, travellers from Australia have assured me that there is a particular species of duck in the above colony which constructs its nest and performs the duties of incubation in the crannies of such rocks as may be at hand, although the same have been far removed from any water-course. Be these facts such or otherwise, nevertheless in the month of July flappers show themselves in different parts of the country, and in various situations.

I have derived much sport in the prosecution of flapper-shooting in the numerous bogs I have met with in the neighbourhood of the New Forest in Hampshire. In the above royal demesne they are in the habit

of breeding; and, furthermore, there are several decoys kept up in juxtaposition with the above waste.

The private manors, too, chiefly studded with woodland, and supplied with fish stews, are strictly preserved, which affords encouragement to this class of birds to attach themselves to the above localities; and although they may occasionally be shot at, when they have wandered from their more immediate homesteads, yet they will venture abroad by night in pursuit of their favourite feeding haunts. At a short distance from the manorial residence of Beauliou, the seat of his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, is a hamlet of the name of Sowley. Within a ring fence lies a vast mere, which served as a fish stew to the monks of Beauliou Abbey, which was in days gone by a monastery of the Cistercian order. This mere is densely surrounded by strong covers, and is choked up in various parts with sedge and "tuft-grass" (the Carex cespitosa). In this sombre retreat, duck, teal, and widgeon abound; indeed, it may be regarded in the light of a nursery for the propagation of water-fowl of every descrip. tion. Hence the flights during the evenings may be seen wending their way on whirring wing to the different morasses widely distributed throughout the New Forest and the circumjacent neighbourhoods.

If it should occur that the shooter might be sufficiently successful to knock down the "mallard" and the "duck" on the primary discharge of his fowling-piece, there is every probability that the whole of the young team of flappers will fall into his hands, as, without having a guide to lead them homeward, they will pitch promiscuously on the first bog or morass that may attract their attention, and present easy objects to the aim of the sportsman.

I, upon one occasion, was engaged with my gun beating the reeds upon the banks of the river Test, near Romsey, forming a portion of the Lea manor, the property of the present premier, Lord Viscount Palmerston; and here I succeeded in my first two shots in killing the parent birds, the duck and mallard, of a team of flappers. I had a steady old retriever with me, who hunted the arundinous cover so effectually that he sprang nine young birds at intervals, which I despatched. This flight was the only one I met with on the grounds, and I felt convinced that my good sport was secured wholly from the circumstance of my having disposed of the duck and mallard so summarily, as I had the good fortune to do.

By-the-bye, the whole of this Wash abounds with "moor-hens." picked up one dozen of these birds-as many as I required-and might have secured as many more, if I had felt disposed to have carried them home with me; but I left as good sport for another as I had enjoyed myself, and with it my best feelings attendant upon it.

There is a soft mud in called rag-worms, to Traces of their bills that their object has

At Quay-haven, flappers were very prone to approach the salt-water ditches which communicated with the estuaries. them which engenders a peculiar class of worms, which the above birds appear remarkably partial. may be recognised upon the mud, which denotes been worm-questing.

It may be somewhat strange, but flappers are scarcely or never seen in the London markets, and yet the operation of decoys is under constant observance. Might it occur that the same are not considered fit for the market? or is it that the early season will not afford them the

probability of their being receipted by a fastidious public? Moor-hens and coots seldom find their way into the London poulterer's shops until the fall of the year, when the frosts begin to set in; and at this time flappers begin to assume a full and well-fledged livery, comportable with the character of duck and mallard.

It may be as well to remark in this place, by way of imparting a portion of useful information to the guardian of the kitchen, that coots are for the most part skinned before the same are submitted to the spit, on account of the great difficulty that exists in a person endeavouring to rid them of the thick-set, black coat of down which envelopes their bodies. The above practice may be abandoned; all that will be found necessary for cleansing these birds form the above flocculent objection is to scald the coot in hot water for one or two minutes, and take a handful of pounded resin, rubbing the mineral well over the skin of the object. The down will be at once abrased, and the complexion of the birds appear as clean and choice as that of a chicken. Moorhens may be treated after a similar manner; and, indeed, all wild and water-fowl, in instances where the down is apt to adhere obstinately to the cuticle of the object under view. Wild-geese will also be benefited by a like application.-1st July, 1865.

THE SALES OF THE SEASON.

The actual enjoyment of the London season depends, after all, in no little degree upon those snatches of country life and the renewal of our acquaintance with those rural treasures which the good squire is supposed to have left behind him at his seat in the Shires or on the hills. It is more than doubtful whether a night at the opera, or a crush at the most fashionable reception, affords half as much pleasure to any one as the pic-nic at Richmond or the stroll through Kew. Only once let the family be fairly settled in town, and every available excuse must be seized upon for getting out of it again as often as possible. There is the drive to Greenwich to dinner, a flower show at Kensington, a poultry show at the Crystal Palace, a dog show at Islington, a yacht race on the Thames, or a horse race at Ascot. Try all they may to forget them for a while, people cannot "do" without a look at their horses, their dogs, their Dorkings, and their roses. Even a matter of business will go all the better when you can flavour it with fresh air, and change the hot stuffy room for the green sward and the cool shade. And by none is this known better than those great authorities by whose happy offices the most beautiful animal in creation is distributed far and wide throughout the land. Notwithstanding that the Messrs. Tattersall have recently erected a most admirable building for their purpose, they are far too good judges to attempt to change the site of a sale a few miles away, when London is at its full tide. They feel how the day is looked forward to, and how the Four-in-hand Club will support them, as that almost everybody worth having will run down for another study of the thorough-bred horse, free from all the toil and trouble of the Derby or the Cup day. Certainly to any man fond of

animals and country pursuits, there can be no stolen holiday more delightful than the Hampton Court or Middle Park Saturdays. Here you see the best-bred yearlings in the world, brought out in the best condition, and sold at the best prices; while all the arrangements are made in the nicest taste. The young things are paraded round the paddock previous to entering the well-planned ring, on the sides of which the pedestrians plant themselves, with the back-ground made up of drags, phaetons, broughams, and other carriages, upon which are grouped some of our most distinguished nobles. Lord Derby was one of those content to take his chance in the crowd, as he hung over the rails on Saturday; although of course there were Dukes, Marquises, and others of high degree, too happy to offer him a seat, or indeed ready with a place for any one who needed a little rest. Still Saturday last was a more memorable occasion than usual, for not only were the Royal yearlings up, but also the whole of Mr. Greville's stud, amongst which a brood mare brought fifteen hundred guineas, her yearling colt another fifteen hundred guineas, as one of her Majesty's also went up to fifteen hundred, another to eight hundred, and so forth. It was, no doubt, altogether a capital sale; but we would not dwell here so much on the prices realized as on the manner in which the proceedings were conducted. There was an above-board, gentlemanly tone about the business, which in itself added to the charms of fine weather and fresh air. There was no idle puffing of man or horse, but the lot was quickly knocked down for what he would make, and the name of the purchaser at once announced to some half-a-dozen representatives of the sporting press, who had ranged themselves round the back of the box. The heat of the weather still made it rather a trying day's work; and accordingly, when the mares had been sold, an hour's interim was announced, during which all who chose could seek the well-laid tables of an adjoining tent for some necessary refreshment. There was no parade made of this, no asking of tickets or securing of places; but in turn, as the seats were vacated, every one could have the welcome tumbler of nicely-tempered champagne or artfully-flavoured "cup" wherewith to wash down his bit of chicken and slice of tongue. Under such auspices, no wonder that the Hampton Court Saturday is marked with a white stone in the Kalends of many a country-gentleman who, for the nonce, is leading a London-life.

But the country-gentlemen were in luck during this last week, for not only was there the yearling sale on the Saturday, but a stock sale the Wednesday; and one straightway pictures the grouping of stately cows in some of those classic meads by the banks of the Thames. Sydney Cooper himself should sketch us such a scene, or Harrison Weir graft it on wood, as the bucolic talk breaks right-pleasantly on the ear with the calm ox-eyed heroines of the occasion affording the illustration for many a subtle argument. Alas for the countrygentleman who was not in luck! He was specially invited to go see stock sold where there was no stock to see. At mid-day in June, with the heat just at its height, he was crowded into a hot room and set down to hot soup. There was no change from this, no grateful relief from the oppressive odour of eating, drinking, and smoking; but there he was ordered to sit, with the promise of "more drink" as the sale went on. And thus, with flushed faces, and "tremendous chcers," as our reporter

has it, the business began, and the first three cows sold in a lot; simply, as we imagine, because it had been directed by the late owner that the whole herd should be sold in one lot. This trio made 1,900 gs., with "Mr. Hammond" officially announced as the purchaser. To be sure, no one knew who Mr. Hammond was, while there was as general ignorance of "Mr. Lancaster," who bought the next division, as of "Mr. White," who "would not be denied," for the third company; and of "Mr. Watson," who took the fourth. It subsequently transpired that Mr. Hanimond was, in reality, Mr. Betts, a gentleman who has been for some time breeding shorthorns in Kent, as that Messrs. Lancaster, White, and Watson were also, in reality, to be identified with Mr. Betts, who had thus bought all the cows, as everybody had long expected he would. But the necessity for this bit of little cunning is quite beyond conception. If the Tattersalls could at once give with the open face of truth the purchaser of a fifteen hundred guineas colt, why should the name of a gentleman who had bid as much for three or four cows he veiled in such absurd mystery? the more especially as almost every other man in the room could have proclaimed him off-hand. However, this was but of a piece with the whole proceeding-a system of buying a pig in a poke that we should seriously advise the breeders of shorthorns not to persevere in, successful as it might seem to have been upon Wednesday. Let a public sale, if there is nothing to fear, be open to the public; and, whether the luncheon cost a guinea or a shilling a head, let people get clear of eating and drinking ere business begins.-Mark Lane Express.

MY FIRST AND LAST APPEARANCE AS A GENTLEMAN JOCKEY.

Sitting one morning last month in my chambers in the Temple, having exhausted the fertile columns of The Sporting Life, and listened in vain for the expected knock which was to announce the arrival of the long-deferred briefs which my cousin had promised to send me, I turned to my friend Johnson (who by the way is by no means a sporting man), and said, "What on earth shall we do, J., this jolly morning?"

"Do?" said he with a yawn, mechanically taking up The Sporting Life; "why, there's that chapter on- Why, look here! the 141st Hussars, your father's old regiment, have some races at Woodboro' to-day; half-a-crown there and back; let's go!" And go we did, and twenty minutes saw us seated in a first-class railway carriage, in company with four very sporting individuals, from whose mystic conversation, in the short space our journey took, we gathered the four winners of the next 2,000, the first six in their places in the Chester Cup, the two mares the Oaks was only a matter of health for, besides several good things for the day, whose names, however, on a subsequent perusal of the card, I could not find. Our journey was thus pleasantly got over; and after a walk of a mile we found ourselves on the course, where my friend surrendering himself to my superior knowledge of what ought to be done at a race meeting, agreed to do as I did. Accordingly, finding the