! 4 8 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 



them, consider his narrow boundaries, beat for them, 

 and possibly carry them himself when killed. 



There is much more ground in a high state of 

 game preservation at the present day than there ever 

 was, and the comparative values of famous sporting 

 estates, with the doings of those who shoot over them, 

 are much better known. All improvements in guns 

 and gunnery, in rearing, stocking and preserving, 

 beating and managing partridges or other game, 

 originate on the larger properties and with those who 

 shoot in the more luxurious and accomplished fashion, 

 and have wider experience of different counties and 

 climates ; so I will address myself to the latter in the 

 first place. 



Tastes vary, with sportsmen as with other people, 

 and although I would not in "sporting matters quite 

 endorse the old French proverb that ' tous les gouts 

 sont respectables,' yet there is much to be said in 

 favour of each of the different methods of killing 

 partridges or grouse. You cannot expect a man who 

 from indifferent eyesight, lack of judgment of pace 

 or distance r or deficiency of early training, finds that 

 he cannot kill driven birds, and that consequently each 

 succeeding day's driving is to him a fresh defeat or 

 disappointment, while he is a fair performer at birds 

 rising in front of him- you cannot expect such a man, 



