1 66 SHOOTING THE GROUSE 



well for a considerable succession of days. But even 

 on this point one should, in considering individual 

 moors, be open to conviction, and my solution of it 

 would be that where on wild or rough ground such 

 long drives are taken as are here mentioned, birds 

 would be brought off their own ground entirely, and 

 coming suddenly upon butts which they have never 

 seen, would be likely to shy at them. At any rate first- 

 rate sport has often been seen from both kinds, and so 

 long as the sunken butts can be well drained I think 

 there is a good deal to be said for them. 



Placing the guns so close as is advocated here 

 seems to me to have disadvantages which on some 

 moors would outweigh its advantages. Under any 

 circumstances to concentrate the birds within so small 

 a space is quite beyond the efforts of most Scotch 

 keepers and drivers, although I admit that when once 

 a perfect system has been established, such as obtains 

 in Yorkshire, it would in some places be of great use 

 to the bag. But in most Scotch drives the flight of 

 the birds spreads over a wide space, requiring six or 

 seven guns to cover it, and in such cases the flanks 

 are sometimes as good as the centre. Again, having 

 neighbours only fifteen yards off on each side of you 

 would bother many people, besides destroying the 

 feeling that you are free to shoot at any bird that 



