206 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 



I must now revert to the third cause to which I 

 attribute the much smaller numbers of partridges than 

 should be found on most manors too hard shooting. 

 The practice of walking the ground and killing all 

 you can, and of driving it and doing the same thing 

 afterwards, alluded to above, is in many places the 

 reason why birds become scarce, and I must again 

 urge that the practice cannot be too severely con- 

 demned. It must be remembered that the standard 

 of shooting is much higher than formerly. Although 

 you will meet many young men who have neither 

 the desire to study, nor the qualities to master, the 

 art and craft of true sportsmanship, yet you will 

 find that, as a rule, they shoot up to a certain 

 average. Three or four of these gentlemen walking 

 in line, each with a practised loader and a pair of 

 first-rate guns, having ejectors to accelerate re-charg- 

 ing, and the best possible cartridges, will make un- 

 deniable havoc among the coveys ; and though they 

 may probably not often pick out the old birds, will ope- 

 rate with deadly success upon the young ones, in both 

 cases producing the most destructive effect possible 

 upon your stock of birds. If after this the ground is 

 driven as well, the stock likely to be left will be very 

 small, and, what is worse, will consist mainly of old 

 birds. A very scanty supply in the ensuing season will 



