146 HINTS ON GROUSE DRIVING. 



in an end battery of the line ; and even then it is 

 very bad practice so to do, as you may feel inclined 

 to repeat the operation when again replaced in the 

 centre. Grouse driving, although it ought to be one 

 of the safest, is apparently one of the most dangerous 

 forms of modern sport. How seldom does one 

 encounter a party assembled for this particular pur- 

 pose without very soon ascertaining that one, at 

 least, of the sportsmen is encumbered with a 

 glass eye ; and after using them once or twice, one 

 finds from practical experience that the preventive 

 pebble spectacles, which are supposed (and I have 

 been told that they carry out the supposition) to 

 turn a shot at 30 yards, are cast aside, and a man 

 goes on, taking his chance, and trusting to the mercy 

 of his comrades. Either the rain or perspiration 

 and keeping three guns at work for half or three- 

 quarters of an hour when you are in a favourite butt 

 and the grouse are coming thick, fetches it out of a 

 fellow even on a cold day blurr the glasses, or they 

 feel heavy and spoil your shooting, or what not. I 

 cannot say exactly the reason, but this is certain, that 

 except sometimes on the nose of a very ancient or 

 timid sportsman out covert shooting, or else adorn- 

 ing the visage of some unfortunate wight who has 

 but recently been hit or frightened, you very rarely 

 see these much-advertised articles actually in use. 



To avoid as far as possible any danger, however 

 remote, accruing to either drivers or guns from in- 



