DRIVING 271 



and startling bar to further progress 

 when birds are thinking of breaking. He 

 must refrain from over-flanking, a common 

 and annoying practice, remembering that, 

 in the interests of later drives, any- 

 thing is better than that birds should go 

 back. Thus it may often be too risky to 

 attempt to flank birds which are going 

 forward, although they may be going to 

 pass wide of the guns. In the interests 

 of their health, flankers should make sure 

 that the guns realize where they are 

 placed before the drive begins,- especially 

 if the line happens to be standing up to 

 a low fence. It is usually best and safest 

 for all concerned that the flankers should 

 accompany the guns and be posted by 

 the host. Sometimes, and especially in 

 districts where the fields in crop are at all 

 widely separated, a flanker, very carefully 

 placed well behind the line, may be a 

 useful adjunct to the drive ; besides helping 

 the birds on the way they are wanted to 

 go, he can make himself very useful as a 

 marker, noting carefully where birds are 



