AUTUMN SHOOTING. 317 



grouse and hare more particularly, without being, as a 

 general thing, directly sought for of set purpose. It is 

 not exactly so with woodcock, though it is not advisable 

 to endeavor to find these early in the day, in autumn 

 shooting, for, if one do so, he is likely to miss the quail 

 while they are on the feed, and when that is the case, his 

 chance of making a bag will be a poor one. 



On starting out in the morning, which it is unnecessary 

 to do so early as many persons imagine, unless one has a 

 long distance to drive or walk before reaching his ground, 

 the first thing is to know the ground, and then to consider 

 how to beat. 



I should consider eight o'clock in the morning to be 

 quite sufficiently early to begin beating for quail, especially 

 as the season advances. It is not well to disturb birds in 

 their roosting-places, before they have moved, as in that 

 case they are apt to go away in a body without dispersing, 

 and to lay up for the day, thoroughly alarmed, in some 

 cunning, out-of-the-way nook, in which it is a hundred to 

 one against finding them. 



Until the dew is sufficiently exhaled to allow the birds 

 to squat without wetting the plumage on their breasts, it 

 is useless to expect them to lie to the dog ; and if there 

 have been a white frost, while that is in process of ex- 

 halation there is not a chance of the scent lying. 



It is not, however, on this account desirable to wait 

 until the grass is dry, or the hoar-frost all completely ex- 

 haled ; for, were that the rule, on some days in November 

 one would have to wait until to-morrow. As soon, there- 

 fore, as, judging from the morning, quail are likely to be 



