232 PARTRIDGES 



I can well remember sending out a 

 friend on my own ground to try and get 

 a brace or so for the house on a short 

 winter's day. The fields were bare, the 

 partridges very wild and not over-plenti- 

 ful ; yet by means of some very clever 

 work by my friend, who was young, 

 active, and a born poacher, the keeper, 

 who was always full of resource on a 

 'mooching* day, and the old retriever, 

 who would drive a turnip-field as well as 

 half-a-dozen beaters, no less than 17 brace 

 of partridges found their way into the bag 

 before the end of the day. 



As in every other form of shooting, 

 little advice of any real practical value 

 about shooting the partridge can be given 

 on paper, which will assist the beginner to 

 hold his own in the field. Every one can 

 learn, if he will, to be a good sportsman 

 much misused word even if he cannot 

 always learn to be a good shot, and the 

 standard of modern shooting is somewhat 

 exacting. Much may be learnt about 

 shooting at any of the shooting schools 



