94 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



very much frightened, in open roads, in ploughed fields, and 

 in open spaces entirely destitute of vegetation. When you 

 have them scattered be always on your guard, and always 

 ready to fire, for where you least expect to find them often- 

 times one may spring. Whenever you mark a Partridge 

 down, search for it, and always try and find it ; this will 

 give your dog confidence in you, and by pursuing this plan 

 you will get more birds in the end. When hunting Par- 

 tridges, if possible, always give the dog the benefit of the 

 wind, by walking the field up wind, or side wind. In wet 

 and foggy weather search your grounds well, or the birds 

 will not be found ; because the scent becomes partially de- 

 stroyed by water dropping on their trail. In hunting the 

 ground always prefer to hunt the sides of the fields in pre- 

 ference to the middle, especially if the fields are large. 

 Partridges are more apt to feed along the sides of fields 

 than they are in the middle, especially when the fields are 

 bounded by wood or thicket. Always flush the birds 

 yourself, and never allow your dog to do it, unless he is 

 properly broken, and mark the birds down, and follow im- 

 mediately on after them, as soon as the gun is recharged. 

 During the first of the season, when the weather is warm, 

 always arrange your hunt so as to be near water, for the 

 benefit of your dog. A dog suffers terribly on a warm day 

 from running, especially a long haired setter, and, if in a 

 country where there is a scarcity of water, the dog will 

 become worried, fatigued, and heated, and will give out, 

 and will be worth to you scarcely anything. But if water 

 is near so that he can quench his thirst, and run into it 

 and cool himself, he will hunt vigorously through the whole 

 day. Never abandon a wounded bird which you have once 

 marked down, until after the most diligent search. Hunt 

 the dog closely about the spot, kick the high tufts of grass, 

 and part with your foot the matted clumps, and kick 

 the brushwood, and jump on the brush piles, if there be 

 any, and, by a little searching and patience, you will often 

 get many wounded and broken winged birds, which your 

 companions, by being in too much of a hurry, would miss. 



