COVERT-SHOOTING 283 



the public road. The ground rises from the 

 river Girvan to a height of 400 feet at the stop, 

 a gradient of about 350 feet in 1000 yards. 



The starting-point of the three parties of 

 beaters is shown on the plan. They join forces 

 as they advance, until by the time the birds have 

 been collected and run forward to the beginning 

 of the strip, they are all in one line, with the outer 

 flanks well forward, reaching across the road. 

 The centre and left of the line then advance very 

 slowly with plenty of tapping, the right holding 

 hard. The guns stand back with instructions to 

 shoot at everything coming back, thus helping to 

 keep the birds forward. 



Orders are given to make plenty of noise, once 

 the birds are seen to be well on their way up the 

 strip or across the field — a few always break back, 

 but never more than about 20 (so far). The 

 birds rise to cross the road, which is on a small 

 embankment about 8 feet high, and fly straight 

 up into the stop, which is a small blown-out area 

 at the top of the wood, thick with rough grass 

 and rushes. The stops beyond keep the birds 

 from straying over the wood. 



The stop is about 400 yards from the line of 

 guns and about 200 feet above them. When 

 flushed the birds rise straight out of the thick 

 stop, not running down into the wood, and 

 clearing the tall trees above the road, are at 

 once in full view of the guns, over whom they 

 make off* for home at a great height. 



