140 FINISHING LESSONS, ETC. 



should rather try the expedient of a menacing at- 

 titude, seconded by a clod of dirt, or a turnip, to 

 using my voice on such an occasion. (Of course I 

 mean if I wanted birds, otherwise a good sportsman 

 ought always to lose a shot, rather than neglect his 

 dogs). 



If you really want game, when the scent is bad, 

 and see precisely where a covey has dropped, let your 

 dogs be taken up, and go first without them ; and if 

 the birds get up singly, never think of picking them 

 up, but make the best of your time in loading and 

 firing. Should you, however, want your dogs, have 

 them one at a time, by making a signal, or whistling 

 to your man who holds them ; but do not speak, lest, 

 by so doing, you might spring the covey. 



If you have a small beat, rather give leave to one 

 of the best shots in England, who is content to shoot 

 twice a week, than to an idle bungler, who is loung- 

 ing out with a gun every day; because the one, 

 although he kills game himself, does not prevent you 

 from doing the same, while the other, by harassing 

 the birds, day after day, without intermission, will 

 make them wild, and very probably drive them into 

 another country. 



The foregoing are a few hints that I had hitherto 

 kept to myself; but as now (thanks neither to age 

 nor imprudence, but to accidental circumstances) I 

 have no longer eyes or nerves for pretensions to the 

 name of a shot, the greatest pleasure that can possibly 

 remain for me is to resign the little I have learnt for 



