'The noblemen and landed gentry of Russian Poland are very fond of hunting and shooting; but their mode of following these sports differs very much from that which prevails in England. For some time past, indeed, shooting has almost entirely ceased, in consequence of the public prohibition of the Government to carry or use a gun. To some favoured few, a licence to do so has been granted; the licence being sealed on the stock of the gun or rifle. But the commanders of the district towns generally advise the possessors of such a licence not to avail themselves of it; for the sound of fire-arms cannot fail to attract the Cossacks and Russian soldiery: and, as many of them are unable to read, the life of the poor sportsman, if he fell into their clutches, would not be worth five minutes' purchase. In consequence of this state of things, I only fired a gun upon one occasion, whilst I was in the country — under circumstances which I shall notice hereafter.
' The chief birds of game are the capercailzie, black cock, and wood hen — a bird very like the grouse, only smaller, and of a much lighter colour. It is called in German, haselhuhn. This bird lives in the woods, and is very seldom found, like our grouse, in the open. Of the common brown partridges — and this year was very favourable to them — we saw, frequently, large and numerous covies. The redlegged partridge is never found. The quail, woodcock, and snipe are very plentiful; and, on a summer's evening, the landrail may be heard in full " crake, crake." There are immense quantities of wild-fowl of all kinds. The bustard also abounds in the country, and is considered a great dainty; but its shyness makes it very difficult to approach. I was fortunate enough to catch a good view of the first I ever saw, for we came suddenly upon him as we were driving one day, about the middle of April. During the summer, I remarked several flocks of them at a distance.
' Besides the fox, the badger, and the hare, which this country possesses in common with England, it has large numbers of elks, buffaloes, bears and wolves. The elk is rarely met with in the southern part; but, in a large forest near Grodno, there are several. During our stay at Wiercieliszki, part of the wood was on fire, and the flames disturbed some of its wild inhabitants. Word was brought to Count Bisping that two elks had passed across his farm, upon which he immediately mounted his horse and set off in pursuit, with some big black hounds. He failed to overtake the elks, but plainly marked their track. They had gone through a piece of standing rye; and, in the wet soil, he pointed out to me the same evening, the clear impression of their large cloven feet. The buffalo, or bison, is not frequently seen. I was told that there was a herd of them, about a thousand head, some forty or fifty miles from Grodno, and they are very strictly preserved. They are much larger than the American or African buffalo. The law forbidding the slaughter of one of these animals is as strict as that which prohibits the murder of a man.
' The wolf is greatly on the increase, as the inhabitants are denied the means, which they formerly possessed, of killing them. One day, as we were drawing near a small cover with some greyhounds, I observed a great number of magpies and carrion crows, which, on our approach, flew around, marking their displeasure at our intrusion by cries and croaks. We brushed through the little wood: and, at the lower end, saw, what I at first thought to be a, dog trotting away. I galloped after him, when my companion also saw him, and cried, wilka, wilka, (wolf, wolf,)