216 PARTRIDGES 



There seem to be only two methods 

 of shooting the partridge practised to 

 any extent at the present time driving, 

 which is almost exclusively employed 

 whenever the shooting is organized on 

 anything like a large scale, and marauding 

 with two or at most three guns and as 

 many retainers when the material for 

 driving is not available. 



Occasionally, but only very occasion- 

 ally now so much have things altered 

 in the last ten years you may still meet 

 with the long ordered line of guns, 

 keepers, and beaters manoeuvring about 

 the country in the orthodox manner of 

 other days. But 'walking in line' is 

 nearly extinct, and surely few can be 

 found to regret its disappearance. For 

 what a dull performance it was at the 

 best ; easy of accomplishment, it is true, 

 demanding little of the ingenuity and 

 resource which make the successful 

 conduct of a day's driving almost as 

 much fun without a gun as with one. 

 But the shooting was a clumsy business, 



