The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-10-02 00:00:00

FIELD SPORTS FOR OCTOBER.

(rem the Asset, of Spar 11v.]
' On the first of t!!!3 month the pheasant becomes a legal
'object Of pursuit : these beautiful birds will, there is little
•'.rubt, be tolerably numerous; though, during the Mtge
of incubation, there occurred more than a week of weather
by no means favourable to the hatching or propagating of
such of the feathered tribes as form their nests on the
ground. That the partridge experienced the injurious ef-
fects of this period is evident, from the number of barren
pairs that have shown themselves since the commencement
of the season : the lower and swampy parts of the country,
however, have suffered most in this respect, while on tfre
hilly and drier situations, there has been found, perhaps,
a good average quantity. In many parts of the kingdom
an opinion is prevalent that the cock pheasant will breed
with the domestic hen; and poultry are frequently seen,
distinguished by the name of the pheasant-breed, which
are said to produce more eggs thin the ordinary kind, but
never manifest the least inclination to perform the office of
incubation or the rearing of young. All this we are in-
' dined to dispute ; or, at least, that part which refers to the
union of the male pheasant and the domestic hen, having
repeatedly tried the experiment with manifest and uniform
disappointment; further, we have know the experiment
tried by' others, and the same results have always followed.
The grouse-shooting season may be considered as almost
over; for although there be plenty of birds, vet, at this
period of the year, it beeomes.a task of more thin ordinary
difficulty to approach them. As the season advances,
however, the birds will keep for a much longer period; and
as a ready market is always offered for this kind of game,
the poacher resorts to various expedients to obtain them.
‘Vhen it happens that the mountains are covered with
snow, great slaughter kr frequently made among grouse,
by the poacher covering himself with his shirt, or other-
wise disguising himself, so as not to be distinguishable
from the general whiteness by which he is surrounded.
He is thus enabled to approach a number of these birds,
and half a dozen, perhaps, fall victims to one discharge, as
they sit huddled together on the snow.
By the time our observations meet the eye of the reader,
the season for (artridge-shooting will have pissed its me-
ridian, except in the northern and north-western counties
of England, and in the Lowlands of Scotland, where this
Idiversion is still to be obtained in the greatest perfection.
Even amongst the Highlands of Scotland, coveys of par-
tridget may frequently be met with—not on the mountains,
certainly, but in the intervening valleys, which are culti-
vated as much as possible by the inhabitants, where they
obtain, not only oat-bread for themselves, but is inter-food
for their cattle.
A few woodcocks will most likely present themselves to-
wards the end of the month. The appearance of these
long.-billed wanderers is generally supposed to be influ-
enced by the season, and their early approach is regarded
by the country-people as the forerunner of a severe win-
ter; at all events, it may be viewed as a sign that hard
weather has already commenced in the more northern lati-
tudes, and that we may shortly expect it here.
Coursing will now become general. Of all the diver-
sions of the field, coursing is that which exhibits the least
variety—is the least philosophical, and the least amusing ;
but it is, nevertheless, passionately followed by many.
Those who are good shots never thick of coursing till
good shooting is no longer to be obtained. Should these
good shots be partial to bunting, they are apt to disregard
coursing altogether. Those who, for a series of years,
' have followed shooting unsuccessfully, often become
thorough-paced coursers ; and it must be admitted that
some excellent sportsmen ardently follow this amusement
in preference to every other; of this the late eccentric
Lord Orford was a striking instance. As far as we are
able to form an opinion, from extensive observation, harts
will be for nd plentiful.
Hare-ht riming generally commences as coon as the lard is
completely cleared ; this diversion, therefore, will-be now
added to the pl Mae; of the sportsman.
Fox hunting, the most fascinating of all field-diversions.
will now be, on3e general, though no great muster will take
place at Alva. n-alowbray for some weeks. Hunting fox
or hare was liner so vigorously ptirsued as at the ereeent
period, and, consequently, there are more packs of hounds
in England than was ever known at any former period.
The greater part of this country is admirably calculated
for hunting, the midland counties in particular and the
neighbourhood of Melton-Mowbray, as well as marl other
psrts, are expressly laid out for the chase of the fox. A
great portion of the mountainous parts of the mrthcrn
counties is not calculated for fox-hunting in the regu!ar
way ; but as the hills afford a retreat for these animals of
the greyhound kind), and as they make havoc amongst the
lambs, the shepherds destroy them as often as opportuni-
ties oEr. There arc many establishments for fox-hunting
in Ireland ; and in the Lowlands of Scotland kennels of
fox-hounds are to be met with ; but much of the Low-
lands is ill-adapted for the diversion, while the Highlands
are altogether out of the question, except in the manner
adopted by the inhabitants.
A NGLING.—This month terminates she fly-fisher's
amusement for the season. Trout are now no longer fit
for the table ; grayling, chub, dace and bleak, are leasing
the sharps and shallows and getting into deep water, ana
seldom rise to the surface, is search of the flitting flies or
winged insects.—But not so with the bottom.fisherman,
for he is, or ought to be (if health permit), fully em-
ployed. River fish, generally termed white fish, continue
to take a bait freely, day and night.—The lover of triAiing
for jack and pike will now be in all his glory.

A new born male infant, wrapped in an old black stutt
petticoat and a black woollen shawl, was found dead on the
steps of a cellar in Duke-street yesterday mernirg, a little
before six o'clock. It appeared to have been stabbed with
a small knife in various parts of the body, and about the
head, which also was much bruised.—Lirerpool Advertise..
A fire broke out on Thursday night in the coach manu-
factory of Alevers. Thorn and Co., Portland-strctia
Oz-
ford-strcet, which destroyed part of the premises and lenk
in trade.