172 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 



man ' of the old school, was wont to conduct the 

 shooting at Rackheath, his place in Norfolk, as much 

 as possible on military lines. Calling to his keeper, 

 as they entered a large turnip field full of birds, to 

 halt the line, he announced that he wished this field 

 beaten en echelon. ' Very good, Sir Henry,' was the 

 response, and then with his hand to his mouth in 

 stentorian tones the keeper shouted, ' Now, all yew 

 beaters, Sir Henry he dew wish yew to take this here 

 field on the re-ound.' 



Whether he knew the superiority of the ' re-ound ' 

 formation, or merely meant it as the best popular 

 translation into Norfolk language of the word echelon, 

 history does not relate. But a line formed on the 

 're-ound 'is most certainly better under almost all 

 circumstances than en echelon? 



What is called ' half-mooning ' is a system of walk- 

 ing up partridges that merits more notice than it 

 seems to receive, and for October shooting ought 

 to be, to my thinking, universally adopted where- 

 practicable. But it demands large fields, well-drilled 

 men, and very careful shooters. It used to be carried 

 to great perfection by Lord Leicester, at Holkham in 

 Norfolk, where I fancy it was invented, and where I 



1 On referring to the Badminton Library, I am glad to find 

 myself in accord with Lord Walsingham on this point. 



