86 SHOOTING AND SALMON FISHING 



there are but few other covers for the hens to escape to, 

 it is a suicidal policy, although one much appreciated by 

 owners of adjoining spinnies should they not be preservers. 

 Guests invited to a battue should never be told the number 

 of birds turned down or reared on the beat they are to shoot. 

 Hosts have been heard to say at breakfast, "Well, seven 

 hundred birds have been reared in the woods we are going 

 to beat to-day, so at any rate we shall have something to 

 shoot at." 



Forthwith guests will set to work with a rule of three sum. 

 The birds turned down, plus the wild ones, will make at least 

 a thousand in the cover, and, therefore, fully six hundred 

 should be got, while all start on the day thinking they know 

 what the total of the bag is going to be, a fact which of 

 course spoils all the pleasure of anticipation ; while, should 

 but four hundred birds be picked up, all will return home 

 absolutely disappointed with a splendid day's sport. 



If making an attack on thickly-stocked covers when 

 perhaps some hundreds of cartridges may be wanted, it is 

 wise to have the reserve ammunition under lock and key. 

 By so doing, one will be sure of getting one's own cart- 

 ridges when it is needful to replenish the bags, which in 

 these days of Schultze and E.G., and numerous other powders 

 is a matter of no slight importance. There can be no harm 

 in always taking out plenty of cartridges ; but even if the 

 reserve be not touched and there be no lock, it will often 

 be found short of the full complement at the end of the 

 day ; for, apart from the friends who may help themselves, 

 there is a great deal of cartridge pilfering carried on, and 

 we know of one instance in the vicinity of a village, the 

 inhabitants of which turned out in numbers to watch the 

 shooting, where the boy in charge of the game-cart carrying 

 eight unlocked magazines was fairly caught selling ammunition 

 by auction on the roadside. It is certain that since taking care 

 to have locks (the " Yale " padlock is perhaps the best) on 



