1 62 SHOOTING THE GROUSE 



the first four days' driving, an average of 330 brace 

 per diem. The best individual score for one day was 

 184 grouse. There were six drives each day, and 

 had the weather only been a little better, the results 

 would have been much higher. 4,480 grouse were 

 secured this season, all, of course, by driving. 



The writer considers that since 1888 there has 

 been nothing like a brilliant season. This past season 

 the birds have been healthier and better scattered 

 than they have ever been. 



The great secret of success in driving is to select 

 those places in the flight of the birds where they can 

 best be killed. In Scotland this is far more difficult 

 than in England, and no double drives, to give good 

 results, are possible where the ground slopes, however 

 gently. It is only on a dead level where a double 

 drive is much good. The writer is all in favour of 

 ' massing ' the guns, and making the birds fly as con- 

 centrated as possible In some of the drives the 

 butts are only fifteen yards apart, and in none more 

 than forty-five yards. All the butts should be (i) in 

 a dead straight line, (2) should be close together and 

 well concealed, being invariably placed within gun- 

 shot of a ridge in front when on a hillside, and, if on 

 a flat, then the outside turf should be carefully placed 

 at the front of the butt. 



