DRIVING 265 



on very slowly, and working every inch 

 of the cover, flushes each bird singly. 

 Such a drive takes time, but we have 

 often opened the day by killing 60 or 70 

 head at one stand, where we should cer- 

 tainly not have realized a quarter as 

 much had we taken the drive at an 

 ordinary pace and flushed the coveys 

 entire. In a rough country, where you 

 cannot make certain of seeing your birds 

 again, this method seems almost the only 

 way of realizing at least one lot of birds, 

 and with due precaution will be found to 

 answer, so long as there is enough cover 

 left, even as late as the beginning of 

 December. 



Another constant danger is the wind. 

 In autumn and winter the south-west 

 wind is always with us, or within easy 

 reach ; and while this means that every 

 bird he kills will give the moderate 

 performer a glow of satisfaction, it does 

 add considerably to the difficulties of 

 handling the birds to know that when 

 you flush a covey it will probably swing 



