PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING 221 



simplifies matters considerably if the 

 beaters on either side of a gun are taught 

 to mark alternate birds as they are shot 

 and put in a thin stick, carried for the 

 purpose, to mark the exact fall of each 

 bird, as the line comes up to the place. 

 The line should never stand for long, 

 but should move on, leaving any birds 

 not picked at once to be dealt with by 

 the dog-man by which is meant a keeper 

 whose sole duties for the day are picking 

 up, having no concern with the beaters 

 or the shooting a most valuable adjunct, 

 for have we not all kicked our heels for 

 half an hour in the middle of a beat 

 while the head-keeper's young retriever 

 had an ill-timed lesson in the difference 

 between a runner and a rabbit ? Some 

 system in picking up there must be, or 

 much loss both of dead birds and of 

 valuable time will inevitably result. 



The pace set for the line must be 

 varied to suit the occasion ; in good 

 cover it cannot well be too slow, but 

 late in the season, when birds are wild 



