192 THE LITTLE BKOWN BIRD 



and at the same time to multiply the stock on the 

 ground in favourable seasons beyond all precedent. 

 Where driving is regularly performed, to the exclusion 

 of every other form of pursuit, the general stock of 

 birds shows a marked increase. Compare the results 

 of the two systems as shown upon the famous partridge 

 ground of Holkham, in Norfolk. The total bags 

 obtained in the two best years when ' walking up ' was 

 the vogue were 3308 partridges in 1868 and 3385 in 

 1869. Driving as aforesaid was adopted in 1875, with 

 the consequence that 8100 partridges were shot in 

 1885, and 7512 in 1887. 



It may be observed that ' walking up ' seems to 

 have been practised at Holkham long before it was 

 adopted elsewhere for in the celebrated two days' 

 match between England and Scotland in 1823, when 

 Mr. W. Coke at Holkham defeated Lord Kennedy, the 

 Scottish champion, at Monreith, by killing 337 

 partridges in the two days, it is mentioned in the 

 Norfolk Gazette of the time that Mr. Coke had a 

 large number of beaters, and had the use of only 

 one dog to pick up the game. Lord Kennedy who 

 was beaten by about twenty brace, shot entirely over 

 setters. 



There are plenty of districts, especially in those 

 parts of Scotland where the cultivated ground verges 

 upon moorland or is broken by knolls of gorse and 

 bracken, where partridges may still be shot over dogs 

 as well as ever ; but it must be sadly confessed that 

 modern sportsmen are too impatient to relish that 

 beautiful form of pursuit. Rapid loading deprives the 



