268 PARTRIDGES 



help to keep the birds moving on in front 

 of the beaters and not rising at their feet 

 and turning back. The beater carries 

 his clapper in one hand, and shakes it, 

 and the result of the whole line using 

 them at once is like the twittering of ten 

 thousand sparrows. The chief difficulty 

 with untrained beaters is to induce them 

 to keep the crescent formation which is 

 so necessary to successful driving ; each 

 man likes to keep in line with his neigh- 

 bours on either side, and it takes time 

 and trouble to impress on them the right 

 way they should go. They must also 

 understand how important it is to keep 

 their proper intervals ; gaps in the line 

 are what birds are always seeking to find 

 when they are averse to facing the music 

 in front, and want to break back. 



It is true economy to deal generously 

 with your beaters ; not as regards money, 

 for in fairness to your neighbours the 

 regular tariff obtaining in the district 

 must always be adhered to ; nor indeed 

 would any increase of wage be half so 



