154 HINTS ON GROUSE DRIVING. 



The word " point/' to my mind, denotes a fixed 

 object always in view of the birds, whether it maybe 

 a man with a flag in his hand, a simple flag stuck in 

 the heather, a pony, or even at times, upon some 

 moors, an artificial kite ; whereas the term " turner " 

 proper would appear to be more legitimately applied 

 to those important individuals who lie crouched in the 

 heather, flag tightly rolled up and carefully concealed, 

 until what time their eagle eyes perceive a pack of 

 grouse likely to " break out " of the drive, and so- 

 escape running the predestined gauntlet of the guns, 

 when up they suddenly jump, and wave frantically 

 a sudden apparition, which has, as a rule, a most 

 salutary effect upon the cunningly conceived concep- 

 tion of the would-be " truants." 



Points and turners are usually in their positions, 

 guarding the right and left flanks of the proposed 

 drive, before, or as soon as, the guns take their places 

 in the boxes ; and it is part of their duty to pass on 

 to the far-off " drivers" by a wave of their flags, 

 whistles, or other signals, the warning given by the 

 head keeper or host that active operations are to 

 immediately commence. 



If the portion of a moor to be driven is a big flat, 

 as is very common, these men usually stand erect 

 above and below the line of guns for some distance 

 in front of, and, of course, well removed from, the 

 upper and lower batteries ready to influence, by 

 judicious waving of their conspicuous ensigns, the 



