xv. PARTRIDGE SHOOTING (PARTlII\ ^DRIVING' 253 



How to Kill the Birds. Always try to kill driven 

 partridges in front of you, and just as they appear 

 over the hedge you are standing behind ; though, if 

 the hedge is a low one, you will sometimes have to 

 fire at the birds as they skim towards you nasty 

 dangerous shots, unless you are careful, and which 

 cannot ever be taken if the drivers are at hand. If 

 you are unable to safely fire at low-approaching birds, 

 face right about before they reach you, and shoot after 

 they have passed. If you twirl round quickly just as 

 the birds are level with your position, you will be too 

 unsteady on your legs to make sure of a brace. 



"When shooting at driven partridges to your front, 

 you need not be afraid of spoiling them for the table, 

 for you may fire at 18 yards, and pick them up after- 

 wards with scarce a mark of shot or a feather ruffled. 



Never shoot at a hare, or at partridges on the 

 point of settling, when you know a number of the 

 latter are collected in the cover just before you, or 

 you are likely to turn aside the very birds that would 

 otherwise have led all the others over your gun. 



Dress. Tho clothes worn by the shooters when 

 partridge driving are of consequence, for the man 

 who assimilates the colour of his coat, and especially 

 liis rap, to his surroundings, will be less noticeable to 

 the game, and will always obtain a larger number of 

 shots than the man who dresses himself in light- 



