UPLAND SHf)OTI.NG. 235 



be wise, he will discard tht; susj)uctcd linen, and turn iu be- 

 tween the blankets. 



On getting up in the morning, all ablutions duly performed, 

 it will be necessai-y to provide for the needful operation of 

 breaking fast ; and this must neitker be neglected, ibr no man 

 can take exercise with impunity on an empty stomach ; nor 

 must it be done too luxuriously, for as certainly no man can 

 walk well, or fast, or keep it up long, on an overloaded one. 



Here is my method. 



I have found it impossible to get out early enough to do exe- 

 cution from any country tavern, if one waits until a hot break- 

 fast is prepared My method, tlierefore, is to take with me a 

 cold liani, or a cold hunters' round, and to have tlie table laid 

 over night, in addition to that, with bread, butter, and cold 

 milk, on which, for my part, I can breakfast very satisfactorily. 



This done, if you know the country, go to the place where 

 are the most and likeliest grain stubbles lying near to good 

 woodland, or coppice covert, and beat them regularly, in such 

 a manner that the woods shall be down-wind of your beat. Let 

 your dogs, however, beat every field up-wind, by which means 

 they will scent their birds one-third farther than if you go down- 

 wind. 



Look especially to the sides of the fields, particularly if they J'f^-y 

 are bushy ; Quail do not affect the middle even of the stubbles y-^^._, 

 on which they feed, / 



If your dogs trail a mnning bevy, never run or hurry them, ■' 



They are, if you do so, nearly sure to flush them wild. Be, on '-'^ - 

 the contrary, very steadv yourself, and cry " Steady ! steady ! ^ a 

 Toho !" words to which dogs should be accustomed early. If //^ ' / 

 they point firmly, and are so very staunch that you can depend 

 on them, it is not a bad plan to make a Avide circuit, and get 

 a-head of the bevy, which even if wild and running, will often 

 squat on finding itself enclosed between the dog and the gun, 

 and thus afford good shooting. 



If you drive a bevy of Quail into good covert, be not in haste 

 to follow it. It will stay there, be sure ; and you will find them 



