xiv. PARTRIDGE SHOOTING (PART //), ' DRIVING' 231 



I have alluded to these somewhat well-known 

 habits of the partridge to show the necessity of 

 beating the hedges as carefully as the open fields 

 when during the winter months you wish to find the 

 birds. 



If from various causes, such as a prolonged 

 harvest, you failed to obtain your partridges in 

 September, and too many are left on the land, it is 

 important the coveys should be broken up, and the 

 old birds in some measure thinned down, else a satis- 

 factory nesting time the ensuing year is improbable. 



Now the best way to kill the old birds, and thus 

 increase your stock, is by driving ; it is also, on the 

 majority of estates, the only method of making a bag 

 when the season is advanced. The old birds often 

 escape when you are walking up partridges, as the} 7 

 are apt to rise wild and farthest from the guns ; for 

 this very reason there is a good chance of their being 

 killed when driven, as they are generally the first of 

 the covey to fly to the shooters, and, as they very often 

 come singly, this habit as well much assists in their 

 individual destruction . 



It may be said the system of driving partridges is 

 successful under the following conditions : 



1st. To kill the birds, whether early or late in the 

 season, when they are so shy, or when there is so 

 jittle cover to hold them, that walk as hard as you 

 like, and work as cleverly as you may, you find it 



