ARM A VIRUMQUE CANO' 87 



sent to his place for a drive, the part of the fence in 

 front of him where he is likely to get most of his 

 chances. This quality has often been called instinct, 

 but this is a mistake ; it is the quality of observa- 

 tion highly developed and coupled with a faithful 

 memory. If it were instinct we should know where 

 to look for the game the first time we are taken out ; 

 but we do not, and it is really the varied, but always 

 accurate, recollection of former observations that 

 produces the apparently spontaneous knowledge of 

 the sport which distinguishes some men. How often 

 when beating a field of turnips the way of the drills, 

 in the company of a duffer, have you seen him half- 

 cock and shoulder his gun as he got to within about 

 ten yards of the end fence ! Up gets a bird from 

 under the last two or three turnips, and is over the 

 fence and away before he is ready. You perhaps kill 

 it for him, and his only reflection will be : What a 

 wonderful fellow you are to know there was likely to 

 be a bird in that particular corner ! But he will make 

 the same mistake the next day, and for ever, because 

 he observes nothing, and consequently doesn't know 

 that an odd bird, who has been running up the drills 

 from you since yftu entered the field, is often too 

 nervous to rise until forced to do so at the very end, 

 and is also afraid to cross by running the small space 



