178 THE GROUSE 



able for the keeper to try a few experi- 

 mental drives with two or three men, 

 placing himself where he can see how the 

 birds would come to the guns. He may 

 thus by actual observation verify his 

 judgment, or he may see that the line 

 should be moved a little ; and it is sur- 

 prising what a difference moving the butts 

 20 or 30 yards may make in the success 

 of a drive. 



The butts may then be constructed ; 

 their number depends on local circum- 

 stances ; it may be necessary to make as 

 many as nine or ten in one line, so as to 

 be able to make the line conform to the 

 wind, by leaving out those at the up-wind 

 end, or the nature of the ground may 

 admit of such concentration of the flight 

 of the birds, that six or seven butts will 

 meet all conditions, and this is, for many 

 reasons, preferable. 



The distance between butts cannot be 

 laid down ; in one famous drive at Moy 

 Hall they are only 15 yards apart, but 

 that is an exceptional instance, and the 



