264 THE GROUSE 



holding cover make it comparatively 

 easy to find the birds for yourself. 



I say comparatively advisedly, for no 

 bird is harder to pick up, and the un- 

 trained eye of the Southron may fail to 

 detect one single bird out of a whole 

 covey crouching among the lichen-covered 

 rocks not ten yards from his feet, so 

 closely does their plumage assimilate with 

 their surroundings. 



The keen, trained eye of the gillie or 

 stalker who is with you must be trusted 

 to make good your deficiencies in this 

 respect, and though this may be rather 

 humiliating, it is part of the price we have 

 to pay for the artificial life of a highly 

 civilised community. 



In fine weather the covey usually 

 squats until you are close up to them, 

 when they begin running about among the 

 rocks, to all seeming as tame as chickens 

 in a farmyard, giving the impression 

 that they will be only too easy a mark 

 for the gun when they do get up. No 

 bird, however, gets quicker under weigh, 



