a greyhound or a small wolf, and bears a greater resemblance in shape to the latter animal than to any other that I am acquainted with. The natives frequently take the wild dogs when they are puppies and domesticate them: they become in this way as much attached as the common European dog, but they never possess the same open countenance and manner, being shy and sneaking; and instead of barking at a stranger, they will lower their tails, creep behind their masters, and look between his legs. Neither will they fight when attacked by other dogs, otherwise than by throwing themselves on the ground, and snapping at their opponents.

"When a wild dog starts from his lair in sight of the common kangaroo dogs, they will run at him, and over him, and give him a shake or two; but if it is intended to kill him, you must assist the kangaroo dogs, or he will be let off without much damage. There are dogs, no doubt, that would accomplish it, but I never met with one of them. The native dogs are of various colours-red, black, red and white, black and white, and fawn. They are great enemies to sheep, which they kill whenever they can-most frequently at night when in the fold. This is the only serious inconvenience the settlers experience from them it is, however, an expensive one, because it obliges them to employ watchmen at the folds all night; and even then, in cold, wet weather, I have known the dogs enter the fold in spite of both of them. The sheep, upon such an occasion, make a general rush from the dogs; the hurdles are frequently thrown down, and the flock is dispersed. The dog

then attacks them as a common dog would do, by biting them

behind the ear and sucking the blood; but if he meets with only one, and is not disturbed, he devours the flesh also. These dogs have been known to attack very young and weak calves, and foals also, but this is not of very common occurrence. The inhabitants of Australia are fortunate in having no worse enemies of prey than the native dog: he is the largest animal of that nature which has hitherto been found to exist in that portion of the globe; and no instance has occurred that I know of" (says Mr. Dawson) "of his having attempted to make any attack upon a human being. The natives consider them as perfectly harmless."

Mr. Dawson, in another part of his work, alludes to a singular description of animals called flying foxes. He says, "I was one afternoon returning home from a ride of above twenty miles, by a circuitous route, when I saw a great number of animals, called flying foxes, floating in the air, and at a distance resembling rooks; they were hovering about some high trees, as if disturbed by somebody or something below. It was the first time I had seen any of these curious creatures, and I could not get rid of the feeling that they were rooks, although I knew there were no rookeries in the colony. I galloped on, looking up at them, till I came quite unexpectedly upon a large tribe of natives, not less than one hundred of them. They were strangers from the upper districts of the Myalls, and were sitting round their fires roasting and eating the flying foxes which they had speared from the trees, in a jungle by the side of a creek.*** I requested to look at a flying fox which one of them held in his hand. It was, in fact, a large kind of bat, with the nose resembling, in colour and shape,

that of a fox, and in scent it was exactly similar to it. The wing was that of a common English bat and as long as that of a crow, to which it was about equal in the length and circumference of its body. The natives appeared very fond of them, and I dare say" (adds our author) "they were as nutritious as any other food which the forest produced."

HUNTING.

OAKLEY HUNT.-BRILLIANT RUN WITH MR. BERKLEY'S HOUNDS.These hounds met on Thursday, the 3rd inst., at the kennel, from whence they went over the water to find; but a considerable length of time had elapsed ere they were fortunate enough in unkenneling a fox, having drawn Carlton-hall Wood, Great Oaks, Blackwell Spinnies, Mr. Higgins's gorse covert, and Solomon's Thrift, all blank, which was somewhat surprising, the whole of them being favourite coverts. Ultimately, however, a fine old fellow was rousted up in a large wood called Hanger's; and, after making one or two turns round the quarter, he was viewed away at the top corner, as though he was going for Bronham Swan. However, he very soon doubled to the right, went nearly down to Kembston village, where he was headed, and back he turned to Hanger's. Here he did not stay three minutes, but broke gallantly at the top corner, and making a little bit of a circle away he went to Kempston Wood, where he stayed about seven or eight minutes; but finding himself not quite secure there, he unhesitatingly went away at the top side, and set his head in the direction for Wooton Wood; however, he very quickly doubled to the right, leaving Wooton-bone Wood on the left, and crossed the

After

brook-a regular rum one; indeed, such a one as only two out of about fifty dare charge. The first who attempted it, and who got well over, was a gentleman farmer of the name of Knight, residing at Harold, on a very good short-legged sort of nag; the next was a Cambridge gentleman, on a very good varmintlooking bit (a little bit of a roarer); however, roarer or no roarer, at it he went, and in one moment he found himself safely landed in the next field; but, instead of being in the elevated situation in which he left the last, he discovered that his nag had made a trifling mistake, and set him down something in the position of a pig rooting for pig nuts, with his nose on the ground, and his long tail (very long coat) turned right over his back. But to proceed with the run. crossing the brook on he went, leaving Attwood village on the left, and appeared to be making his point over the fine country, for Clifton Spinnies; but the wind blowing from that quarter, compelled him to double to the right, which he did, leaving Grubb's Wood to the right, and straight away for the New Wood, and the gorse covert, in latter of which he waited about five minutes, this being the first check since crossing the brook. From the gorse covert he went in the direction for Pictshill; here he made a short turn to the right, and appeared to be going to Solomon's Thrift, but he doubled again to the left, and went away to Blackwell Spinnies, leaving Sterington village on the right; from thence he went directly down to the river below Pavingham village, and the water being considerably out it is supposed he attempted to cross it, and was drowned, as the hounds drew up

the

MR. EDITOR,

It was with great delight, the day before yesterday, that I looked over the 13th Number of your O. S. M., and have equal pleasure in being able to pronounce it a most excellent one. Nimrod's interesting account of the mischief among the tigers, the sporting in Guzerat and Kattywar, the songs by S. Y. S. and others, together with the singular feat of the midnight boar-hunters, are alike productions of great merit, the perusal of which oftentimes causeth me much regret that so fine a country as this, for trigger, leash, spear, or rifle, should not furnish a much greater proportion of matter for your laudable publication than it hitherto has done.

However, since I am no Pongo, Mr. Editor, and if the following lines can be of any service to your correspondent S. E. R., he is welcome to them, as also to my good wishes for success the next time he tries his hand at bustard, the shy nature of which game is too well known to require any prolixity of words in describing it. A good steady tattoo, a Cumley, sewed similar to those worn by natives, to cover the head, body, and gun,

and dark trowsers, are sufficient disguise; for the chance of crawling up a nullah or behind a bush should never be trusted to, nature having endowed the birds with an extraordinary share of cunning and eyesight, which prompt them to keep in such parts only of the plain, as no danger can approach without their seeing it. The plan, therefore, when a flock of bustard is in sight, is to ride slowly in the direction, and, supposing there was a footpath passing at a distance of 200 yards from them, having passsed them a sufficient distance to do away their suspicion of danger and to give them confidence, a turn is then gradually to be made, bearing down upon, and always keeping them on the near side of you; after two of these turns, each gradually closer, dismount, leave the tattoo to graze, and run in, taking a hasty shot at the nearest bird, which may sometimes be managed at forty or fifty yards, and oftentimes, before the flock are thoroughly on wing, a second shot may be thus taken. Slugs are decidedly best for this work. The head must be carefully concealed and turned away on nearing the flock, in order to