TCD MS 11290/19 folio 2 recto
[14th February 1918] The Shunnar are magnificent birds as big as chickens and very fat, they are unfortunately very wild, but I am beginning to learn their little weaknesses now. The old cocks like to sit on a rock on the skyline for preference and say nasty things to you at a distance. Having spotted him the thing is to approach very carefully keeping behind rocks as far as possible. On one occasion an old bird was so busy crowing that he let me get a shot at him as he was sitting hurling insults at me and two or three times I have got near enough to get a good shot when the covey rose.
A terrible thing has happened to me lately. My Section wants to start a concert party and I was rash enough to encourage the scheme with the result that I have promised to attend their practices with a view to lending tone to the party. I have great hopes however, that I will be able to back out of it.
I wrote a lot of letters when I was in Cairo and I hear the mails about that time were sunk. The four polite ones I wrote were to Attwood, Aunt Mary, Mrs. Price and Mrs. Hughes, so I’d be glad to know if they ever got them. The rest were to the family and if they have been lost it can’t be helped. I have just had letters from Pa and Livy and will write to them soon when I have anything to say.
Best love to all,
Henry.