DRIVING 259 



can only be ensured by arranging things 

 beforehand. 



The guns should be numbered from 

 right to left, changing places after each 

 drive to give every one his turn of the 

 shooting ; for if the driving be good, the 

 keeper will aim at putting every bird 

 over the centre of the line, and should 

 the three central guns not get the bulk 

 of the shooting, there is probably some- 

 what amiss with the driving. It is usual 

 for the guns to move two places each 

 change when their numbers exceed four ; 

 then no one has to take outside numbers 

 twice in succession. So, in marking out 

 the drives, a cleft stick with a card 

 bearing the number in the line serves as 

 a ready guide to all, and prevents the 

 confusions and misunderstandings which 

 otherwise will be found inevitable. 



The lie of the ground is often not 

 allowed sufficient importance in determin- 

 ing where to place guns. There seems 

 to be an almost universal tendency to 

 insist on the line being marked out on 



