HINTS ON GROUSE DRIVING. 159 



whilst this defect is apparent to take their own course, 

 and break out high over the other beaters' heads, 

 either to the right or left. It is curious, also, to note 

 how, if a pack of birds mean charging the drivers and 

 so escaping, they will select a space to do so which 

 may be occupied by a beater or keeper without a 

 flag ; consequently, if a gun be walking with the line 

 of drivers and a gun is very useful in keeping birds 

 forward he is pretty sure to get good shooting, as 

 the grouse, seeing no flag, will most likely come back 

 over his head, more especially if he keeps the men on 

 either side of him at an extra distance, so as to afford 

 a good gap ; but this is not conducive to the sport of 

 the party in front, and, consequently, if a gun be 

 employed, it should be in the hands of a keeper, and 

 only used to frighten birds forward. 



When the line of beaters are getting within a 

 hundred yards of the guns more especially if the 

 latter are ensconced, as is usual, in batteries over the 

 sky line, and consequently out of sight they should 

 be instructed to shout, or rattle their sticks, &c., to 

 make their proximity known. Otherwise, an old cock 

 getting up at this moment, and flying low, straight on, 

 may be the cause of a charge of No. 4 coming pound- 

 ing in amongst the unhappy drivers. 



Here let me advise the discontinuance of the practice, 

 now so common, of using the hard or chilled shot, 

 which has a horrible tendency to glance off from rocks, 

 &c., even, it is believed, from the bones or feathers of 



