196 PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 



to eradicate, and also teach them the nasty 

 trick of running in close upon a covey so as 

 to startle it prematurely. The red-legs are 

 very cunning, and prefer at any time using 

 their shanks to their wings, and stealing 

 through and over hedges, and in a divided 

 and designed disorder, to the utter bewilder- 

 ment of men and dogs. Opinions differ about 

 them, but there are many reasons for their ex- 

 termination, and one certainly is the bad lan- 

 guage they provoke from shooters of a warm 

 and impatient temper. 



Partridges, as a rule, are easy birds to shoot ; 

 but then the situation and other conditions 

 often give a variety to the mark. For in- 

 stance, they may rise a good distance off, or 

 close to a hedge, when they are pretty sure 

 to take it in a sort of flying jump, or get up 

 singly in lots, or all at once. Sometimes, too, 

 they start from the centre of a stubble close as 

 a ball, and then burst as it were in all direc- 

 tions. The great matter in partridge shooting 

 is to be decisive and unflurried. Fire at the 

 bird that first catches the sight, never taking 

 the eye from him until the trigger is pulled. 



