144 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 



and the wind blowing from you and against the birds, 

 you will ruin the finest drive in the world by talking 

 as you go along the fence to your places. This point 

 is not half enough observed, but it is often the absolute 

 reason of the majority of the birds breaking out at the 

 sides instead of coming forward. 



Where possible, let the host place the guns and the 

 head-keeper come with the drive. The keeper may 

 do both if, as Marlowe l does, he rides on horseback 

 and gets round quickly enough to avoid keeping the 

 guns waiting ; he should always take the centre of the 

 line, and have sole command. Often the flank drivers 

 cannot see that birds are coming towards them with 

 a view to break out, and it is only from the centre 

 that they can be warned in time to turn them. 



If you have to wait at your stands, while drivers 

 are sent round, always look out for birds put up by 

 them as they skirt the ground to be driven ; some of 

 these are sure to turn back over you, and if you are 

 on the flank may give your only chances in the drive. 

 The good man having gone to his post, is ready from 

 that moment, and his eyes are seldom off the fence or 

 ground in front of him. Nothing moves within the 

 range of his vision that he does not see, and many a 

 bird will he kill at the beginning of a drive that comes 

 1 See p. 130. 



