I'artrid^e Shooting 65 



the guns. These birds, disturbed at the shooting in front, will 

 break back and face any danger rather than pass over the firing line 

 Another covey tries to sneak o\'er the hedge, is cleverly held up by 

 the flanking beater, and gives tlie outside gun a long and difficult 

 chance. 



Perhaps the remaining two or three coveys do come forward to 

 the guns, but they fly low, and the beaters are too near by this time 

 to allow one to take them in front — one cannot open lire behind 

 until tliey are past the line of guns. Fidgetted and worried, one 

 finally makes what should have been an eas\- shot a very difficult 

 one, and it is only here and there that a bird falls as the Partridges 

 stream away. 



In our imagmary dri\-e, we have put up in all six coveys of Grey 

 Partridges (say 70 birds), and the one covey and a few single French- 

 men (say 15 or 16 birds), and our bag at this stand is 18 birds, 6 

 French and 12 English, and in every case the French birds afforded 

 infinitely the finer shooting. I do not mean to decry the Common 

 Partridge. He is an excellent bird for sporting purposes, and is so 

 full of guile that he is often uncommonly difficult to secure, especially 

 where the fences are low, and, consequentb,, the bird is not raised 

 sufficiently to shoot at in front with any safety. But the English 

 Partridge needs no defence from an\'one : it is the poor Frenchman 

 I ask a kind word for. I never go through a day's partridge-driving 

 in Suffolk without thanking Providence for providing so fine a sports- 

 man, and congratulating myself on his presence. 



He has faults 1 know. I have not disguised them, but for 

 driving he is a grand bird, and I hope that some echo of my admiration 

 for him ma\' find its wa\' to mv readers, and do something towards 

 rehabilitating his very tarnished reputation. 



22nd February, igo^. 



