182 THE GROUSE 



proper front of a drive, as rectangular 

 butts certainly do if placed straight. It 

 is purely a matter of individual taste 

 which variety to adopt. 



Half-sunk butts are always preferable 

 to the built-up kind, wherever the slope 

 of the ground admits of adequate drainage. 

 They show very little from the bird's 

 point of view, and are very nice to shoot 

 from, because his position enables the gun 

 to be on level terms with birds coming to 

 him, never having to shoot down on birds, 

 which always makes them more difficult. 



In the diagrams on the next page the 

 half-sunk butt is shown as half-circular, 

 and the built-up sort as rectangular ; this 

 is merely to illustrate both kinds, and the 

 forms are interchangeable at will. The 

 circular butt may also be made in the 

 form of a horseshoe if desired. 



The diagram shows plan and section of 

 a half- sunk circular butt. The dotted 

 line indicates the ground-line in each case. 

 The flooring is best roughly paved, where 

 flat stones are available, or boarded. The 



