PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 149 



Many people tell me about killing ten and even twenty 

 brace before breakfast ; but I never yet had the fortune 

 to see the chance for such a performance ; because the 

 dew is seldom off before eight or nine o'clock. It would 

 be bad manners to doubt their word ; so I will conclude 

 that they mean before some dejeune ti lafourchette at 12 ; 

 or perhaps before their breakfast on the following day. 

 With regard to where and how we are to beat for game, 

 &c. &c. it would now be unnecessary to inform even a 

 schoolboy ; and, indeed, others having mentioned all 

 particulars, is a sufficient reason for my not imposing 

 on the reader's patience with what he will have seen 

 before, and what, to describe, would lead me into the 

 very subject of other sporting-authors. Suffice it there- 

 fore to say, that the great object is, first to have good 

 markers* judiciously placed, and then to disperse the 

 birds ; the best way to do which is to head your dogs, 

 by taking an extensive circle. The second is, to make 

 no more noise than what cannot absolutely be avoided, 

 by doing as much by signal and whistling, and as little 

 by hallooing as possible. Thirdly, go first on hills to 

 find, and drive down from them, the birds, and then in 

 vales to kill them. Fourthly, when distressed for par- 

 tridges, in a scarce country at the end of the season, 

 take a horse, and gallop from one turnip-field to an- 

 other, instead of regularly slaving after inaccessible 

 coveys. After a storm, as soon as the ground is dry, 

 or the next day, birds will lie in a calm ; and, after a 



* Always be sure to tell a young marker that he must carry 

 his eye well forward when a covey of birds begin to skim in their 

 flight, and consider, that as they may continue doing so for a field 

 or two, he cannot safely say that he has marked them down, till he 

 has seen them stop and flap their wings, which all game must do, 

 before they can alight on the ground. 



