166 UPLAND SHOOTING. 



They occasionally, but by no means always, take wing 

 and liy to the place where they propose to spend the 

 night. This, I believe, is generally done when they have 

 been recently disturbed by foxes or other animals, which 

 trail them up by scent. 



Some sportsmen prefer to shoot alone, but a pleasant 

 companion, while he may diminish your bag, should more 

 than double your sport. With rare exceptions, the days 

 when I have shot alone are now overlooked and forgot- 

 ten, while those spent afield with some chosen friend are 

 treasured up as precious reminiscences, to gladden my 

 heart as I glance back along the mile-stones of the past. 

 On the other hand, some of my most exasperating recol- 

 lections are of days of so-called sport, where four or five 

 endeavored to shoot together. In shooting, as in love- 

 making, "two is company, but three is a crowd." For 

 this section, I consider the acme of pleasant sport to be 

 had by two friends, well mounted and equipped, with a 

 brace of well- trained, experienced dogs of fine natural 

 qualities, attended by an intelligent, active servant, also 

 well mounted, whose duty it is to carry the bulk of the 

 ammunition, the game and luncheon, to let down fences, 

 mark down birds, and lead up the horses when desirable. 

 This is rather a lazy method, but the man who pursues it 

 from sunrise till dark will have an abundance of exercise; 

 but while this is my preference, I have great respect for 

 the athlete who on foot keeps up with his good dogs 

 throughout the day. It is merely a matter of taste, 

 after all. 



I would here suggest that every sportsman keep a diary 

 in which to enter briefly or at length, as he may prefer, 

 an account of each day's sport. He will find it a useful 

 reference and a source of pleasure. It will make him 

 more accurate in his knowledge of the habits of game 

 birds and animals, and benefit him in many other respects. 



