WALKING UP 175 



middle of the field, having heard that danger has 

 passed by on each outside, and gone beyond them, 

 will, when they rise, begin to turn in and fly back 

 over the centre and other guns. Then comes the 

 trial of patience and careful shooting. The bird 

 which rises at your feet, if you are, say, No. 4 or 5, 

 tempting as he is, you must not fire at, for he flies 

 straight for the head of No. 2 gun, and so on till 

 the end of the field. It need hardly be added that 

 the swinging curling shots afforded by the birds 

 coming back are most difficult, and therefore enjoy- 

 able when successfully dealt with, and it is wonderful 

 to see a covey rise inside the magic half-circle, and at 

 once come back straight over the centre or sides. 



It must be borne in mind that partridges, being 

 very close to the ground, are very sensitive to sound, 

 and they hear the rattle of a man's feet very quickly 

 as it comes to them under the turnip leaves. It is 

 this which causes them to turn back. They have 

 probably not seen the outside men, but they have 

 heard their tread as they passed by, and may even 

 have seen their feet as they look along the drills (for 

 half-mooning should always be done across the drills 

 where possible). The centre, lying far back and not 

 having yet moved much, the birds have not become 

 aware of, and so knowing that danger has passed by 



