196 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



by Harry Coverdale and his contemporaries. The 

 universal abandonment of the sickle struck the first 

 great blow to the use of dogs for partridge-shooting, 

 and whereas in old days the partridge and the stubble 

 field are always connected together, it is now generally 

 only necessary to open the gate of such a field to see 

 the last covey topping the fence at the other end. 

 Root crops still afford the necessary cover, and there 

 are many districts where inferior farming and the 

 nature of the country afford such natural cover as will 

 ensure the birds lying to the dog. Dogs are certainly 

 more employed in this sport, and in woodcock and 

 snipe-shooting, than in any other form of British sport 

 with the gun. One reason is that when, as often 

 happens, the corn is not cut, driving is not practicable 

 till long after the First. Game is, however, wanted 

 for the table, and without a dog a lot of walking and 

 poking about in odd corners is necessary to put to- 

 gether a few brace of birds. 



There is, however, one form of partridge-shooting 

 to which I shall only refer to reprobate it. I mean 

 that where beaters are employed in the morning to 

 drive dozens of coveys into one or two large turnip 

 fields, ready for the lazy gunners to walk them up 

 and slay them at their leisure. This system combines 

 all the drawbacks attaching to driving with all those 

 connected with shooting over dogs. That is to say, 

 it neither provides healthy exercise for the sports- 

 man, nor does it afford any difficulty in the shoot- 

 ing. Therefore it is indefensible from both points of 

 view. 



