FACT AGAINST FICTION, 



CHAPTER I, 



SHOOTING AS IT WAS, AND AS IT IS, 



Change in tlie Whole System of our Sylvan Sports — Foolish Use 

 of Voice and Whistle — Tramping Up Game — Mismanagement 

 of Dogs by Sportsmen — Careless Slaughter of Birds, and 

 consequent Cruelty — Danger to the Shooters themselves — 

 Occurrence at Prestwood — Master George — Loading and 

 Loaders — Driving of Partridges — Theft of Cartridges — Disease 

 among Partridges. 



It will be in the memory of many of us born witliln 

 the present century, that '^ since the days when we 

 were young," the whole system of our sylvan sj^orts 

 has undergone a violent change — a ^^ violent change, 

 very," and one that in my opinion tends not to the 

 real art of venery, its poetry, or pleasure. 



To sum up the unsportsman-like vagary to which 

 I allude, all — everything, the training and the 

 beautiful and mysterious sagacity of pointer and 

 setter — are all merged in a restless run, enormous 



VOL. II. B 



