VHEASANT SHOOTING, &C. 151 



you began, work closely and steadily the whole of 

 the ground or covert that you have both been racing 

 over, and you will be sure to kill more game than 

 him, who is beating and shooting in haste, through 

 fear of 'your getting up to him ; and (if the wind 

 should rise) driving the dispersed, and, consequently, 

 closest lying birds to your beat, as fast as he finds 

 them. 



When staying in a town, take care not to let every 

 one know where you shoot, by pompously riding 

 through it with a display of guns and dogs; but 

 either send on the latter in the dark, or take them 

 closely shut up in your dog-cart. If driving, cover 

 your shooting dress with a box coat : if on horseback, 

 ride out of the town on some road diametrically op- 

 posite to where your sport lies, and then double back 

 again on other roads, or by crossing the country. If 

 you return by daylight, enter the town again by this 

 means, or at all events in the most quiet and private 

 manner, otherwise you will soon have your beat (if 

 on a neutral place) worked by every townsman, who 

 can muster a dog and gun. 



If there is one month worse than another for the 

 amusement of shooting, I should be apt to consider 

 that it is November. The warmer weather of Sep- 

 tember and October is then gone by, and the birds 

 become wild and cunning. The fall of the leaf, with 

 the sports of rabbit, woodcock, snipe, and wildfowl 

 shooting, are not in general to be fully enjoyed till 

 December and January ; so that, in the event .of a 



