GROUSE-DRIVING 205 



all the best ways and means of carrying on a 

 drive successfully, I must refer my readers to 

 the admirable articles by Lord Granby, published 

 in the " Badminton," and to the well-known 

 treatise of Mr. Archibald Stuart Wortley on 

 " Grouse " in the " Fur, Feather, and Fin " series. 

 Both are past masters of the art upon which 

 they write, and are as skilful with the pen as 

 with the double-barrel. A keeper who can 

 manage a drive well is a treasure, and requires 

 all the qualities of a general commanding an 

 army in the field temper, patience, and in- 

 fluence over men as well as an accuracy of 

 observation and instinctive knowledge of the 

 habits of birds and animals. The conformation 

 of the ground and the currents of the wind 

 should also be thoroughly noted, and, given a 

 combination of knowledge and these qualities, 

 there is hardly any place where I should pro- 

 nounce successful driving to be impossible. The 

 position of the butts must of course be deter- 

 mined by the trend of the ground ; but they 

 should be placed in as straight a line as possible, 

 and so concealed from the front by rising ground 

 that the guns can get into their places, having 

 approached them unseen. The rising ground 

 should, however, not be too near, as it is next 

 to impossible to shoot well if you are unable 

 to see your birds until they are close upon you. 

 This combination of advantages cannot, however, 



