The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-05 00:00:00

FIELD SPORTS FOR DECEMBER,

(From the Annals of Sporting.)
List ! 'Tie the echo of the cheering horn,
Borne on the gales o'er hill, and gorse-clad plain ;
And lo ! what gallant riders greet the morn,
What coursers bound to hear the gladsome strain!
Again, and still more glorious comes the cry,
'Ti. the blithe music of the gathering chase ;
Now hear that crash of matchless melody,
As is proud rivalry the, good pack race.
Who would not, like a greyhound slippid, now Hy
And struggle dauntless for the foremost place?
Thee, too, December, doth the Courser seek,
The Fowler too ; nay, all who take the geld;
For though thy morns be dark, thy days be bleak,
They still to us do gloriousfle/d-sports yield.
A. M. T. Juz:.

. _
To the observations which appeared in our last number, ap-
pertaining to field.sports, we 'hare little new to,offer ; we shall,
therefore, merely add that hunting will, during this mouth, reach
what may be truly called its zenith ; whilst, on the other hand,
shooting, as far at least as relates to the mountains and moors, will
decline :—the pursuit of grouse, black and red, ending on the
10th of December. In looking to the legal restrictions regarding
the pursuit of game, we find that the period for prohibiting it
has been generally regulated by the nature of the animals pursued ;
more especially, with reference to the breeding season. Yet, we
are inclined to think that, in regard to grouse, if at least what
we have just stated were taken for a guide, the time has been
anticipated, since these birds, though they feel the access of de-
sire sooner than most others of the feathered tribe, seldom ap-
proach each other before the commencement of the year, and not
even then, should the weather be severe. But the circumstance
of grouse shooting ending at an early period is of little consequence
to the sportsman, since those birds become wild, and, indeed, un-
approachable (at least by fair and sportsman-like means) lung be-
fore the 10th of December.

Partridges were never found more abundant than in the present
season ; and though they will continue to be fair gams during
this and the following month, yet few will he bagged, since, after
October, they become wild, take wing on the most remote sus-
picion of danger, and if the fowler obtains a few shots at thtm,
it must be under particular circumstances, or the result of acci-
dental contact.

Pheasants always permit the approach of the shooter, and
will, in all probability, suffer much during December, particu-
larly from that wholesale system ofbattu ',hooting, against which
we must indeed " cry aloud and spare not.' The practice is out
of all comparison more ignoble than shooting tame pigeons, or
foraging for a rook pye.
Woodcocks.—From the appearance of these birds at an earlier
period than usual, many sportsmen calculated upon abundance,
as well as upon a severe winter. It is a generally received opinion
that the one as a matter of course accompanies the other. How-
ever, as far as our own observation will enable us to form an opi-
nion, woodcocks have not appeared in more than an average num-
ber,—if indeed they have equalled it.
Snipes seldom fail; though we,have not yet observed any great
abundance of them.
The appearance of the ash-coloured or hooded crow in this
country is considered as the harbinger of winter.: These birds
presented themselves in considerable numbers in the latter part of
the month of October, immediately after the westerly gales which
occurred at that period. The hooded crow breeds, and is numer-
ous in the: Highlands of Scotland ; and we have generally observ-
ed that their appearance in England is more influenced by high
winds and stormy weather than by what we call the severity of the
season, or the early setting in of frost.
Hares have been found in abundance—many have been shot,
many killed by the long dogs; but, in the early part of the
season, they seemed generally to escape from harriers, owing to
the unfavourable state of the atmosphere. Great numbers of
leverets have fallen victims to their incapacity both with harriers
and greyhounds, to say nothing of those which have yielded to the
tube of the shooter. The fineness of the summer continued the
lireeding season till a later period than usual, which accounts for
the circumstance just mentioned.
Fox-Hunting.—Melton and its vicinity will now be filled
with sportsmen. 'The hunts throughout the kingdom will be in
full activity, should not frost interrupt the operations of the chase.
The best,', we ever witnessed have occurred in the mouth of
December,"days sometimes occur in this month as favourable
to scent as possible.: We hope not only to have the "ocular
proof," but shortly to 'demonstrate to our readers that we have
" Heard the horn winded, and felt the morn's breath,
Have got well out of cover, well in at the death."

Of Anglisty this month we are not prepared, nor is it necessary
to say much. The observations of November will apply with
even more force 't9 December, trolling for pike and plc being
almost the only employ for the fisherman. Pais a brief while
and he and we will again be labouring in our vacation.

THEATRICAL. ANECDOTE.

(FRONI A CORXISPONDENT.)

Much amusement is excited in the theatrical circles on the sub-
ject of the courtship of one of the most fascinating of our singers,
by a gentleman of fortune, to whom she has been lately united.
The following particulars, which we give without decoration or
overcharge, are the most striking connected with the history of
this romantic affair :—The lady, while performing in one of the
popular operas brought out a few seasons ago, played the mischief
with the heart of a poor man who, though of sufficient rank and
wealth to venture upon a self-introduction amongst such "small
fry," did not know exactly how to go about it. At last an op-
portunity presented itself. He was informed that the lady was to
set off for Manchester, on a certain day, in the mail, and putting
two hank notes, the one for 1001. the other for 101. in his pocket,
he paid for the three vacant seats in the coach, in the expectation
of a delightful Olte-a-ate. How great then must have been his
disappointment, when upon entering the coach he found, not the
exquisite creature whose features were ever present to his imagina-
tion, but au old harridan, like her of whose ehin'Sheridan said
from the mouth of the Jew, "a razor would not be amiss for
either of us." Before he reached the second stage he left his com-
panion in disgust; but having received the strongest assurances
that she whom be sought must reach Manchester within a given
time, he drove off in a post-cheile. They reached the town near-
ly et the same moment. This was ominous ; but still he was at
a loss for an introduction, and in this emergency lie determined at
length to "stoop to conquer," by associating with her satellites.
He set up at a fashionable hotel, and invited several of the per-
formers to dine with him; but as he did not wish that his family
should be infiirined of his pranks, he passed with his landlord and
guests as Mr. Jenkins. Many a jovial scene took place in the
house of the- landlord, who, although he liked the address and
liberality of Mr. Jenkins well enough, by no means admired his
choice of companions, and thought it was high time to send in the.
bill. The day before this determination was come to, however,
an awkward accident occurred to poor Mr. Jenkins, The benefit
night of his gloved was advertised. Here was an occasion of
introducing himself with the most acceptable grace. Ile knocked
at the door. She was at home. He announced himself in his
real name. She had hoard it before, and blushed to hear it again.
Ile was admitted to her presence, looked, sighed, begged a ticket,
received it, seized the hand that held it, kissed it, threw a bank-
uote upon the table, looked and sighed again, and ran nut of the
house. "Now," said he to himself, "that I have accomplished so
much, I had better go home to prevent the suspicions of my mother.
I should just pay my bill with this 1001. note, and be off." He
pulled 'out his only bank-note; and looked at it as Macbeth
looked 'at the " air-drawn dagger." It was the 10/. He had
giVen the other for the ticket for the play. His bill was nearly
mentioned to one of
60t, and he was a stranger in Manchester, and not master of
more than a sixth part of the slim. In tbillevxattsreedgnocietasy
occasioned
enewd wished
to to apply to a banking-house in the town, confident that the name
of Lis family
the partners hmisusnte(teiskityno,wwn
strange accident, he 'told his name,' and request that his draft
shed. The Manchester
upon_his banker in London ; might be ca
to oblige, but be thought proper to inquirethe
banker was willing
e town, and having requested that he would
applicant's address in t
sent to the hotel to learn some • '
be seated for a few toinittee, heard a particu-
lars. The landlord stared
ofname so unlike that of his
hich,
uew guest. " No," said he, "v hernobodyhim;
he said,
that name iu my house,
„bode erylske and I believe he is a bit of a
hut, have blue when I
heiner,fifr he looked veryasked him for any bill." This
::taigetia, Was immediately brought to, the banker, who, there-
upon, c°
not beidalgrded.
expressed hie regret that the accom-
u The unfortunate lover had now
uo alternative but that of writing to London, His landlord, who
eyed him with 'the greatest suspicion, (for the report that he hadp
pl at the banker's soon reached the hotel), resolved that his
customer should never go out without a guard ; so that wherever
went, a distorted shoe-boy was wen at his heels, until a re-
pittance arrived, and enabled him to enter without his filthy
companion into the presence of the lady who was then the dearest
object of his wishes, and is now, of course, the greatest source of
odati poooliootel tylid
his felicity,.-. Times.