226 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



Those ignorant of the sport of shooting driven game 

 have before now spoken slightingly of it. But let no 

 one fall into the error of imagining that it is easy work ; 

 sportsmen expert in the matter of shooting game over 

 dogs have been known to fail ignominiously on first 

 essaying to shoot driven game. As a matter of fact, 

 in driving there is greater call for the display of skill in 

 handling the .gun, of self-control during a period of 

 intense excitement, and of calm judgment in selecting 

 the proper object at which to fire, as also in estimating 

 pace and distance. Driven birds have one great ad- 

 vantage over birds rising before the shooter ; they have 

 the advantage of a flying start, which not only enables 

 them to move at the highest rate of speed of which 

 they are capable, but to swerve from their course with 

 greatest rapidity, and thereby to render the gunner's 

 task of hitting them far more difficult. 



A rather curious anomaly in connection with grouse- 

 driving is the fact that heavier stocks of birds are 

 generally permissible on those moors where driving is 

 followed than on those where the walking-up or dogging 

 system is solely pursued. This is usually accounted for 

 by the fact that as in driving the oldest and wariest 

 grouse first take to flight at the approach of the line of 

 beaters, they, naturally, are the first to be shot down on 

 reaching the guns. In this way the younger and more 

 vigorous birds are left upon the moor for breeding 

 purposes. 



The practice of driving is now gradually being ex- 

 tended in Scotland, where formerly it met with the 

 greatest amount of opposition from many keepers and 

 some lairds. On those moors, notably those of Caith- 

 ness, where grouse lie well to dogs throughout the 



