PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 



CHAP. II. 



PARTRIDGE SHOOTIJfG. — DIRECTIOXS FOR PARTRIDGE SHOOTIIfG. — 

 SHOOTING IN BrCKINGHAMSHIRE. — HOW TO DESTROY COCK BIRDS. 

 — AFFECTION OF THE PARTRIDGE. 



" Xor on the siu'ges of the boundless aii", 

 Though home triiunpliant, are they safe ; the gun, 

 Ghmeed just, and sudden from the fowler's eye, 

 O'ertakes their sounding pinions ; and again, 

 Immediate brings them fi-om the towering -sving, 

 Dead to the ground, or di-ives them wide dispersed, 

 "Woimded and wheeling rarious down the wind." 



Thomson's Scaso-ns. 



After this brief notice of the origin of the game laAvs, 

 I proceed to the business more immediately in hand. 



What can be more enjoyable than partridge shoot- 

 ing, in a good breeding season, accompanied by an old 

 sporting friend, a brace or a leash of steady dogs, and a 

 man "who marks well ? In early life, like many young 

 sportsmen, I passed in general a sleepless night on 

 the 31st of August, and by five o'clock in the morn- 

 ing I was ready to take the field on nearly an empty 

 stomach, for I had little inclination to eat or di-ink at 

 that hour. What was in general the result of the eaidy 



