PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING 219 



pressions of walking partridges in line, 

 once the age was past when to carry a 

 gun in the field at all was a pure joy ; 

 his sympathies were all with the gentle- 

 man who was overheard to remark 

 wearily to himself, as the party was 

 leaving a perfect sea of turnips, where 

 birds had been scarce and the 'shaws' 

 soaking wet and near waist high " Well, 

 I've read that every star differ eth in 

 glory, but I'm d d if each turnip does." 

 The methods of walking partridges in 

 line call for little comment ; the general 

 principle is to collect the birds into good 

 cover usually turnips by detached 

 parties scouring the surrounding country, 

 and walk the field up and down in 

 narrow beats, either swinging the line 

 right round when within wheeling dis- 

 tance of the fence, or else walking the 

 field right out and filing along the fence 

 to take ground for the next beat. The 

 latter is the best plan, for many birds run 

 on to the edge of the turnips and squat 

 there till the line is close on to them, 



